Agri Minister hopeful for safe return of missing Guyanese fishermen

Oct 23, 2025 News

(Kaieteur News) – While he is yet to be furnished with comprehensive details regarding the missing Guyanese fishermen, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha said he is hopeful that the four men will be recovered and reunited with their families.

“Presently, I don’t know what are the circumstances. I have spoken to our ambassador to get some more information,” the minister told journalists in Berbice on Wednesday, adding that he also awaits information from neighbouring Suriname.

“I am hoping by the end of (today), I can get some more information from our ambassador over there and then I can put out an official statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.”

The minister, who is responsible for the fishing industry, explained what he gathered from several sources closely following the matter:

“I understand also through that general information, that they sent out a distress call…and then nobody saw them afterwards.”

“We are very concerned, because generally whenever our fisherfolk encounter difficulties like those, we tend to work along with our coast guard, work along with the other agencies so that we can try as much as possible to locate them,” Minister Mustapha stressed.

He noted, however, that since the incident took place in Surinamese waters, most of the recovery operations and other relevant protocols will be undertaken officially by that country. Thus far, he stated, the search and rescue operations are continuing, via patrol vessels and helicopters.

Additionally, the agriculture minister, while acknowledging the unfortunate situation, expressed optimism that the men will be found.

“We are hoping that this crew or that vessel…can be found and be found alive.”

Guyanese are concerned about the well-being of the fishermen after news circulated that they left to ply their trade at sea, but have not returned.

Reports suggest that the quartet was fishing in Surinamese waters when their boat sank last Saturday night in Saramacca River near Lareco.

Surinamese authorities have since launched a search and rescue exercise.

According to reports, police said that they received a report early Monday morning that the crew was floating on ice cubes. They said that the caller had indicated that people in the area had used their boats to search for the four people, without success.

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Guyanese fishermen, missing, safe return, Zulfikar Mustapha

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