Berbice fishermen rescued after hours at sea

May 21, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Major tragedy was prevented by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard after four fishermen whose boat sank at sea were brought to safety.

Still shaken from the harrowing experience, 56-year-old Jagmohan Kurisam told Kaieteur News on Wednesday that his survival and that of his colleagues was a prayer answered, as he believed that they could have suffered a tragic fate.

Recounting the lead up to the May 19 incident, the father of three disclosed that he and three other fishermen left the Rosignol Wharf last week Friday to go out to sea on what was seen as a routine fishing trip.

Berbice fishermen rescued after hours at sea

Jagmohan Kusiram, 56, who said his survival was an earnest prayer answered.

After several days of regular activities, a little water entered the boat, but this was manageable, Kusiram explained, and they would easily bail the water out.

“We see that the boat had a leak, and went and bail out the boat and pump out (the water from) the boat and start pull seine.”

As he entered the boat’s prow, he observed that massive amounts of water were entering from that part of the vessel. He panicked and alerted the captain and the others that the boat was sinking.

“When the captain catch heself and he watch at the back of the boat, the boat nah tek steering, captain seh hussle put on y’all life buoys and y’all tie up all them jars and so.”

With the vessel quickly nearing total submersion, the four fishermen would offload all weighty items and cling desperately to an icebox and plastic bottles in a bid to stay afloat. According to Kusiram, despite being at sea for three decades, he is unable to swim, and felt certain that he would have died.

“Me ain’t know to swim too. And I have three kids to mind. Meh nah get nobody, is just me alone with the kids them. All I do was beg God – I have three kids to mind, and say ‘please God’, if He can save me.”

After floating for nearly four hours in the Atlantic Ocean, they were rescued by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard, with assistance from the Rosignol Fishermen Co-op Society.

The man’s eldest daughter expressed great relief for her father’s safety.

“First when I hear the news, I really feel sad, but I thank God that my father come back alive….I hug up my father and I start to cry, because this is the first time something like this happen to he,” she related.

As for Kusiram, he declared that he will put a halt to all fishing activities for a while, as he attempts to overcome the trauma of what he considered a near-death experience.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Berbice, fishermen, fishermen rescued, Guyana Defense Force, Jagmohan Kurisam

Latest News