After pirate attack…
THE question is still being asked whether the body of Vasdeo Persaud, Captain of the fishing vessel ‘Sudesh’, has been found after he, reportedly, drowned following a pirate attack last Thursday.
Reports are that the boat was intercepted and torched by pirates off the Guyana-Venezuela border but some family members of Persaud are insisting on travelling to Venezuela to see his remains.
They said they also want to get more information from the survivors and Venezuelan Police, in order that closure could be brought to the gruesome tragedy.
Others yesterday said they were just as ignorant of information in relation to the missing man as any crew member who sailed with him.
One family spoke of having been informed of the discovery around 16:30 h; another at 17:00 h while this newspaper was told, at 17:45 h , that the search had been temporarily discontinued because of dangerously choppy waters.
No one from Guyana travelled to Venezuela to garner any reliable or first hand account nor did relatives witness the disposal of the body.
However, the Guyana Chronicle was told, by the owner of ‘Sudesh’ that, so badly decomposed was the body that it necessitated quick burial and to send Persaud’s family to Venezuela would have been both costly and time consuming.
Persaud’s sister, Danpattie, who, since last Sunday, has insisted that she could not believe he is dead unless she sees his corpse, maintained that position yesterday.
Yet others, who preferred to remain anonymous, are contending that, if the remains found were in the claimed state, no one could be sure they were Persaud’s.
Meanwhile, it is understood that the wife of the deceased may be home in Guyana with her children for her birthday on Saturday, courtesy of the owner of the ill-fated boat and a Justice of the Peace.
Sudesh, owned by Deodat Bissoon, set sail Tuesday on its first trip, under the command of Persaud called Dave but it was set afire by pirates on Thursday.
With Persaud were 49- year-old Mohan Singh nicknamed ‘Peppy’, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo; Ranju also known as Ricky or ‘Keel Man’ (no address given) and an 18-year-old Amerindain (name unknown) from Moruca, North West District, Bissoon said.
He said the craft was attacked by four English speaking pirates in another vessel, who ordered them to abandon ship and jump into the water.
After the fishermen did not comply with the order, the attackers used gasolene and set the Guyanese boat ablaze, forcing the occupants to plunge overboard.
Three of the men swam to safety but Persaud, who suffered the most serious burns, went under.
A few hours later the survivors were rescued by a Venezuelan boat and rendered emergency treatment and Singh was admitted to Bolivia Hospital with life threatening injuries while the other two identified and assisted in disposing of the body found, Bissoon reported.