Missing crab-hunters rescued, …survived by roasting fish and crabs

Dec 10, 2019 News

After being stuck at a location called Buckerbury in the high seas for six days due to high tides, the four men who set out on a crabbing trip two Sundays ago were rescued after walking to Nickerie, Suriname for several days.

Anand Deoharry

Nelson DeJonge

Ramdat Gunraj

Yogeshwar Mangal

Three of the men are safe and sound home with their families replaying in their minds, the experience endured while being stranded as a crew. The fourth is making his way out with a rescue boat.
Yogeshwar Mangal, called “Boy” of Number 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice, was resting in his hammock when Kaieteur News arrived at his home. Mangal recalled that they set out to catch crabs and fish but explained that the boat was washed “on top of the sand and we get stuck there for a couple of days”.
He explained that after their vessel got stuck, they decided to wait it out until a boat passed. But after a few days elapsed and there were no boats passing their location, himself, Nelson DeJonge and Ramdat Gunraj, called “Azad”, decided to walk to Nickerie for help.
Gunraj is a father of three from Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice.
Anand Deoharry, the oldest of the crew made the decision to stay at the boat and wait for them to return with a rescue vessel.
Mangal added that while they were making their grueling walk to safety, they bumped into a boat that was removing fishing net from the waters but “dem man boat engine end up and bruck. They walk with we to Nickerie and then dem go and get another boat to rescue us and we other crewman”.
The crab-hunter told this publication that while this was his first time experiencing such, their survival skills kicked in. They roasted fish and crabs. He expressed his gratitude for making it out alive but noted that this will not deter him from future trips since it is his livelihood.
The vessel the men were on is currently moored at the Number 65 Village fishing wharf.
Ramdat Gunraj’s sister had told Kaieteur News that her brother left home last Sunday with three others on their third crabbing trip for the past two months.
She said the family was baffled after their scheduled return date (Wednesday) passed. Relatives for the men began posting their pictures to garner attention from anyone who would have had information about the men and where they were.
Gunraj, speaking via telephone, said they were stuck in an area in the high seas due to high tide but were eventually rescued by a fishing boat with Guyanese fishermen.
That boat, however, experienced an engine failure, which resulted in Gunraj, DeJonge, Mangal and the three fishermen from the boat deciding to walk from Buckerbury to Nickerie. He added that Deoharry chose to stay back with the vessel because of foot pain.
When they reached Nickerie, they contacted the owner of the boat for assistance Sunday night. Relatives of Deoharry have since stated that he is not at home yet but sent a message saying he will be home by Wednesday.

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