Four teenage fishermen have been reunited with their families after being stranded at sea for a harrowing five days, during which time they were forced to eat raw macaroni and drink salt water.
Manmohan Indar, 19, Adesh Latchman, Anand Sookram and Sahadeo Ramkishun, all of Airy Hall, Mahaicony, left their homes last Tuesday morning in fishing vessel “Angela 3,” via the Abary and they were expected to return to shore the following day.
However, things took a turn for the worse when they experienced an engine failure.
Indar told Stabroek News that it was after they released their first seine during the trip that they began to experience problems with the boat engine. At this point, they were several miles out. The problem, he said, was later rectified. However, later on their journey, as they were releasing the other seines, the engine shut off completely.
“So the next drop wah abee mek, when abee done throw abee seine, abee cut off the engine. When fah pick up back it, the engine start geh problem. We had to pull the seine in a bow and we had to anchor the boat because it was falling time, the water does press out,” Indar explained.
Indar said as they were left drifting in the sea, they used a jersey to wave at passing boats but due to the bad weather they went unnoticed or persons just refused to help.
“We deh waving couple boats and like that weather did lil bad and like the person them like them nah see or something but we just waving them from the top ah the boat. We deh waving people and people just sailing away and suh because remember the place did lil rough,” Indar related.
He said they spent the next few days hoping and praying that someone would see and rescue them.
During this period, Indar said they tried contacting family members to inform them of what was happening. However, their cell signal was poor. “Abee get through with a call and one ah the boy (Sookram) he call he Cha-Cha (uncle) and tell he that we bruk down and direct he weh we went,” he said.
However, Indar noted that it was difficult to describe where they were. “The place right, like the place did rough and we couldn’t know like the part weh we deh because some ah the pole them does get yuh mix up out deh. So, yuh gah get a good average with the pole,” he said.
‘Everything done’
As per normal for such a trip, Indar said, they had packed food items and drinking water to last for the period and as the days went by they survived on the little they had.
Eventually, everything was finished. “Everything done. All the ration, the water, well it start easing down too. We had to melt ice,” he said.
Indar explained that the last food they were left with were two packs of macaroni, which they ate raw in order to survive. The drinking water also finished and they were forced to drink salt water.
“It been lil hard but we had to try we best fah keep up,” he noted.
Rescued
Hope was regained for the four teens on Saturday evening, when they were spotted by a man who was heading out to work.
The man approached them and upon learning what had happened, promised to return after work to rescue them.
“The man come out ah Mahaicony Creek. We just waving him and ask abee wah happen and abee explain to he. We seh all the wata done. Abee deh out hay about five day. Explain one set ah thing and he tell abee seh he guh go out and he guh wuk and when he come back he guh carry one ah we in. Because he boat too small, he couldn’t carry all ah we same time. So he seh, he gon’ carry one ah we fah leh abee go in, see, get a boat, the more bigger boat and come back fah the rest,” Indar recalled.
He said they were not sure if the man was going to return.
After another several hours, the man returned on Sunday morning with an engine for their boat, which allowed the teens to sail home. “He come back Sunday morning early, like about 3 0’clock and then he bring one ah the boy and he bring one engine and he tek off the old engine wah went pun the boat wah break and we sail come in,” Indar said.
Indar said the experience wasn’t an easy one.
“It wasn’t easy… We panic lil bit but nah like all the time. Just one time and then we start pray, we cry because you nah know wah could go on. So we just praying and hoping fah see if anyone would come,” he said.
According to Indar, he only joined the fishing business about a year ago. He said his father plants rice and he would usually assist him. As a result of his experience, he said he will not be returning to sea.
