One Dead, three missing as cutlass pirates strike on the Corentyne

THREE fishing vessels were attacked by pirates just before midnight on Friday, leaving one fisherman dead and three others missing on the Corentyne River.

Captain Seepersaud Persaud
Captain Seepersaud Persaud

The dead man, identified as 45-year-old Hemchand Sukdeo, called Dread, of #55 Village, was discovered on Saturday afternoon in a fisherman’s seine during the low tide.

Three of his fellow crew members are still missing, while the captain miraculously survived after being thrown overboard.

The captain, Seepersaud Persaud, 43, of Corriverton, said their boat was attacked by five cutlass-wielding pirates, three of whom were masked. He related that they were approximately five miles in the Atlantic Ocean in Surinamese waters when their boat was approached by pirates, who demanded they hand over their catch valued at $140,000.

They complied as four of the pirates boarded their vessel, while another remained on the pirate boat. Seepersaus said his crew was then tied up and transferred onto the pirates’ boat, and he was instructed to take it ashore with the crew as the pirates took their boat.

Seepersaud said that as he was about to move off, the pirates then asked that he throw overboard two of his men, but he refused. Seepersaud related that he was instead thrown overboard by the pirates.

“As we about to move off, them ask me fuh throw ovah two ah me work man, but me seh me nah do dah, and them push me ovah board and drive off.”

Seepersaud said he swam for approximately three hours, until he saw another boat and was rescued him. They then made contact with the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op, which sent a boat to take him ashore.

He later learnt that his boat, which is valued at six million dollars, was used to attack two other vessels, and three of his crew members are still missing, and feared dead since the discovery of Sukdeo’s body.

Those missing are Dhanpaul Rampaul of Number 67 Village, a cane harvester who would seek other employment during the out-of-crop season; Dochan Sukra, 54, also called ‘’Butcher’, of Number 55 Village; and another male, identified only as ‘Boyo’.

Police sources have confirmed detaining a boat matching the description of the one used during the pirate attacks, and have in custody five men who were on board at the time. The boat, ‘Sharda SK’, was seen moored at the # 65 Koker when this newspaper was on scene.

Meanwhile, the crew members of two other fishing vessels which were also attacked on Friday night were said to be safe, but could not get ashore because of the low tide.

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