The families of the three fishermen missing following the alleged pirate attack in the Corentyne River last month are still hoping for closure, while the police investigation remains ongoing.
Still missing are Vinesh Drunarine, called ‘Dinesh’ or ‘Monkey Brain,’ 24, of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, Raymond Gomes, 37, and Chandrapaul Jallim, 19, both of Recht-door-Zee, West Bank Demerara.
So far, the lone survivor of the alleged July 8th attack is Captain Feroze Hack, who is still required to check with the Beterverwagting Police Station every other day while the investigation is open. The corpse of another crewmember, Andrew Gopie called ‘Butt’, 41, of Annandale Sand Reef, East Coast Demerara, washed up on a Mahaica/Mahaicony shore on July 17.
The family members of the missing fishermen each told this newspaper that they’re not satisfied with the status of the investigation and begged to have some closure. None of the three families spoken to accept that their loved one is dead because they simply have not seen their bodies.
The five-man crew left the Meadowbank Wharf on July 5th and after three days of fishing in Suriname waters went missing. Hack had told the owner of the boat that he and the crew were attacked by pirates, who robbed them before tying and blindfolding them and tossing them overboard.
Crime Chief Leslie James yesterday said, “The investigation is very much a live one…. Not because you don’t hear about what’s happening, you should assume that nothing is.” James indicated that there has been no additional findings than what was already in the public domain but added that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is working along with the Suriname authority to conclude the investigation of the matter.
Rudy Drunarine, father of Vinesh Drunarine said that he hopes and prays that his son will turn up alive. He said that he has asked colleagues of his, who reside in Suriname, to conduct an investigation to unearth the truth and to continue searching for his son’s body.
Pamela Maikoo, the mother of Raymond Gomes, said that she wants to continue looking for her son but is unable to do so because of a lack of resources. Nicola Ogeer, the partner of Chandrapaul Jallim said that she soon hopes to go to Suriname to perform her own investigative work.
Still unwilling to accept the account of events provided so far is the sister of the deceased, Andrew Gopie, who asked not to be named. She said that after her brother’s memorial, which concluded yesterday, she will be taking matters more seriously and plans to write the newspapers on the level of incompetence of the authorities who allowed for such an incident to occur.
