Seaman missing after swept from trawler

Dec 16, 2018 News

Navishwar Karamdatt, called “Sharma”, a 33-year-old seaman attached to Pritipaul Investment and working on one of their vessels named MV Snoek 1, was swept from the vessel in a freak accident around 10:00 hours Wednesday last.
In CCTV footage of the incident, which was viewed by Kaieteur News, it could be seen that two seamen, one being “Sharma”, were in the process of setting baskets into the sea from the deck of the MV Snook 1.
The sea at the time was fairly turbulent and caused the trawler to roll from side to side in a violent manner. The basket that “Sharma” was holding on to at the time hit him down causing him to slide from where he was at one side on the deck to the other side and then overboard.
His partner after realizing what had happened could be seen running to raise an alarm, while “Sharma” could still be seen in the water. What transpired after, resulting in “Sharma” being missing, is unclear since the one minute, eleven second video did not show the rescue attempt.

Screen shot from video footage, showing Navishwar Karamdatt called “Sharma” being swept off the MV Snook 1

All of this occurred some 100 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean. The MV Snook 1 had left the Houston wharf on December 3 for a three-week trip with its crew, which consisted of its captain, 24-year-old Chrishnadat Sukhdeo, called “Panter” and four crew members– 23-year-old Jonathan DeFreitas, of Lot 1517 Section B, Block X, Great Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD; 17-year-old Vidprikash Sukhdeo of Lot 1123 17th Street, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD; 34-year-old Pritviraj Seewnarine of Lot 1113 16th Street, Section C, Block X, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD and “Sharma” who resides at Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD.
Police in a statement said after the MV Snook 1 returned to the Houston wharf about 05:50 hours yesterday, the captain was taken into custody and further investigation into the alleged disappearance of the missing crew member commenced.
The captain in a statement to police, stated that on Wednesday last he was piloting the vessel when he heard shouts of “Man overboard, man overboard”. He said that when he focused he saw “Sharma” somewhere off in the distance overboard.
He claimed he immediately turned around the vessel but he was unable to get to “Sharma” in time and despite efforts by other members of the crew, “Sharma” went under the water and did not emerge again.
The captain claimed he called his boss, and was told to return with the vessel to the wharf. The other crew members which includes a brother-in-law of “Sharma”, all gave similar accounts of what transpired. The MV Snook 1 is presently docked at Pritipaul Wharf at Houston, as police continue their investigations.

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