Latest update January 1st, 2025 1:00 AM
Latest News
Captain still missing, vessel found
Trawler explosion…
Teen critical,three others stable
As the Coast Guard and Maritime Department intensify their search for boat captain Delbert Williams, doctors at the Georgetown Hospital are battling to save the life of 19-year-old seaman Orlando Munroe, who sustained extensive burns about the body when the trawler exploded.
The teen, who hails from Cane Grove, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, sustained burns to almost 90 percent of his body and was in a critical condition in the GPHC Burn Care Unit.
His mother, Cheryl Munroe, yesterday told Kaieteur News that she is praying and asking God to spare her son’s life.
George Fitzpatrick
The woman said that her son was employed with Prittipaul Singh Investments for over two years. She said Munroe was having difficulty breathing, and was receiving oxygen and intravenous drips.
Keith Abrams, another crewmember who was injured in the explosion, said that he was very thankful to be alive.
Abrams, also of Mahaica, received burns to the shoulder and hands and has been admitted to GPHC Male Surgical Ward.
He told Kaieteur News that he has little recollection of the accident.
“I just wake up and see the fire…I really can’t say what happened”.
He remembered jumping off the vessel and being rescued by a Venezuelan vessel.
George Fitzpatrick, another survivor, is said to be in a stable condition in the Burn Care Unit.
His wife, Nicola Fitzpatrick, yesterday told Kaieteur News that her husband received burns to his upper body. She said that he was speaking and was in high spirits yesterday when relatives visited. The third survivor, Elvis Todd, is also said to be in a stable condition. Kaieteur News was unable to speak with any of Todd’s relatives.
Relatives of Delbert Williams, when contacted yesterday, still remained tightlipped and refused to say anything.
The relatives had earlier said that they were advised by representatives from the major seafood company that they should not to speak to the media.
Kaieteur News was told that the vessel, Captain Lloyd 97, registered to Prittipaul Singh Investments at Providence, had left Port Georgetown on Thursday, for a fishing trip to North West, Region One, Barima/Waini.
The fishing trawler exploded in Region One, Essequibo, leaving the captain missing.
Meanwhile, a source within Prittipaul Singh Investments, yesterday told Kaieteur News that the fire may have started in the engine room.
Orlando Munroe
The source said that after the fire became uncontrollable the crewmembers jumped overboard.
They were rescued by a Venezuelan vessel, which was a short distance away. The source further told this publication that the damaged trawler has been located minus the captain.
Representatives and Coast Guard ranks after learning about the incident quickly rushed to the area.
Kaieteur News was told that they chartered an Air Services plane and flew over several hundred square miles of open water in Barima/Waini.
Prittipaul Singh is yet to send out a press statement about the incident.
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, said that Maritime officials were also involved in the search for the missing Captain.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, in a press statement, said that Minister Robert Persaud has ordered a full investigation.
The statement said that the Minister has sought the assistance of the Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration Department to engage in search and rescue efforts for the crewmembers.
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