Captain tells police pirates were Guyanese

THE bodies of three Guyanese fishermen, missing two weeks ago after the vessel on which they worked had reportedly been attacked by pirates in Surinamese waters, were up to late yesterday still not recovered.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that after the body of another crew member had been recovered last week, relatives of the three crewmen who are still missing sought to continue their search in the area along Guyana’s Atlantic Coastline, but no further sightings have been reported.

Returning from neighbouring Suriname after investigators there were able to garner all the information they needed from him, boat Captain Feroz Hack told local police investigators he is very confident that the men who attacked his boat are Guyanese.

He said that although the men had covered their faces, they spoke in a distinct Guyanese accent and he was able to ascertain that the men are from this country.

Captain Hack is still of interest to Surinamese law officials, who have had opportunity to question him in relation to the case. Interestingly, the vessel which allegedly came under attack whilst under his captaincy ended up back in Guyana. Hack said he had abandoned ship following the incident, and had later tried in vain to save her crewmembers, but it was impossible.

Police investigators who are working on the case locally have confirmed to this publication that the injuries which the captain told investigators he had sustained when he was on board the vessel are consistent with what was determined in medical reports that have been issued to him.

Captain Hack is also maintaining that the piracy attack did occur in Surinamese waters, but he said he could not really explain how the vessel ended up back in Guyana. He is suggesting that his certainty that the men who had robbed and thrown the crewmen over board were Guyanese brought the vessel back to these shores.

The body of crewmember Andrew Goopie washed up on the Mahaica Foreshore last week, and was spotted by relatives of the missing men who are conducting a search, triggered after the ill-fated vessel was also discovered in the same vicinity earlier this week.

Crime Chief Leslie James told this newspaper last week that he was concerned that the vessel would strategically show up at the location after drifting, when the current and rough waters would have somewhat subsided.
The police were moving to question persons from the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas who are in the business of fishing to ascertain if they may have any information pertaining to the disappearance of the men and the appearance of their vessel in that area.

(By Leroy Smith)