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Missing fishermen tell harrowing tale of survival
– stranded for days on deserted island
“Awee lucky, and thankful to be alive…Me nah think words can describe how much we been through out here. It was real hard”- sailor
By Rehana Ashley Ahamad
It was all smiles yesterday morning when Kaieteur News met the six fishermen who went missing over the holiday season after their boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean.
They were happy and more than thankful to God and their Venezuelan rescuers for being back home safe and sound.
According to captain of the ‘Invincible 3’, Nathan Bacchus, the crew, comprising Avindra Persaud, Danny Persaud, Miguel Moreno, Punto and Enil, departed the shores of Guyana on December 10.
WAVE SLAMMED BOAT
He said that it was all smooth sailing up until December 17, when a huge wave slammed into the vessel, causing it to overturn.
“It was around ten o’ clock in de day and a sudden wave just come and lash de boat. Like everything just went blank, and dem boys start hollering fuh each other,” Bacchus said.
After all they’ve been through, the missing fishermen stood hale and hearty at the Meadowbank Wharf yesterday.
He explained that the crew was able to come together and with the help of the rough waters, they were able to steady the boat upright.
“Is a good thing was day time and everybody could swim. We manage fuh get the boat back up, but the wave mek a piece of the boat break off,” Captain Bacchus told Kaieteur News.
Because of the damage, captain and crew could not sail back to shores. They were forced to stay on the boat, hoping that someone would find them.
“We couldn’t do anything, cause nothing on de boat de wukin. We did just drifting away more and more to Venezuela side.”
The crew managed to survive on their meager supply of food and water. Cold nights passed with prayers from the men who desperately wanted to be home with their families.
About a week went by, and the sailors were still struggling to stay alive. But finally, something happened that made them regain their lost hope.
DRIFTED TO ISLAND
Bacchus recalled that it was like a scene taken right out of a movie depicting the ultimate tale of survival.
The sailors were all hungry and droopy, lying in the boat when it jammed onto something and came to a sudden stop.
Bacchus told this newspaper yesterday that they all arose and were greeted with the pleasant sight of a beach. Their boat had drifted to an island, and Bacchus was sure that it was somewhere in Venezuelan jurisdiction.
“We get all excited. We drag the boat onto de beach, and we start looking fuh help,” Bacchus said.
However, their hopes were once again shattered, as the island was deserted.
“We couldn’t get help. Nobody didn’t live on the island. It was just we.”
The crew was expected home on Christmas Day, but during that time, they were stranded on the uninhabited island without any food and fresh water.
“We manage to survive. We eat whatever we could ah find on the island- coconut water and so,” Captain Bacchus said.
He explained that on Old Year’s Day, light was shone on their seemingly dark path, and a group of Venezuela’s Warrau Indians spotted them and generously came to their rescue.
“Dem did living on a nearby island but we couldn’t see dem. They find we, and they come over to help.”
Bacchus recalled that the Venezuelans began fixing their boat and provided them with food, water and shelter, until they were able to once again set sail.
When the boat was fixed, the Venezuelans even gave them an adequate supply of food and water for them to return home.
The six sailors, hale and hearty, arrived on local shores on Saturday night. Kaieteur News met the men yesterday morning at the Meadowbank Wharf where they were inspecting the repaired vessel.
They all maintained that their plans for the day included taking a late “Christmas drink” before heading home to their families.
None of them can say at this point if they would ever be returning to sea, but even if any of them decide that they would, it is unlikely to be anytime soon.
“Awe lucky, and thankful to be alive…Me nah think words can describe how much we been through out there. It was real hard,” Avindra Persaud said.
The crew is calling on the relevant authorities to implement systems whereby fishermen can feel and be a lot safer at sea while fending for themselves and their families.
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