Attack off Waini Coast…
THREE armed bandits terrorised and robbed three Essequibo Coast fishermen in the Atlantic Ocean, about two miles off the Waini Sea coast in North West District.
Captain and owner of the fishing boat, Bharrat Kallicharran, of Paradise, Essequibo Coast, told the Guyana Chronicle that he and the two other victims, Sarwan and King (only names given) were a short distance from the dangerous ‘Iron Punt’ area, around 19:00 hrs, when they came under attack.
The skipper said the unmasked bandits, in a big canoe powered by an outboard engine, threw three balls of fire and gasoline into their vessel, setting it ablaze and destroying an ice box and other things.
Kallicharran said, while his craft was burning, the attackers ordered them to jump overboard in the murky waters of the Atlantic where they started to swim towards shore in the dark night, hoping they can reach alive.
He said they had a difficult time swimming because the waves were high and fierce and the tide was strongly pulling them further into the deep.
Kallicharran said he had to take care of one of his crewmen whose legs were cramping and, as they struggled for their lives, they saw their assailants sail away.
He said moonlight aided their vision as they swam back to their boat safely, only to discover that the new 15 horse power (hp) outboard ‘Yamaha’ engine and gas tank, that he bought for $500,000, had been stolen.
Kallicharran said they drifted to shore and anchored in the shallow, where he made a cell phone call to his relatives to rescue them.
Later, their ordeal was reported to Police at Charity, also on Essequibo Coast but he is not pleased with what he called the slow response towards investigations.
Kallicharran said he accompanied the Police to Moruca River mouth, from where they turned back, telling him they did not have a captain to take them into the rough waters.
He said many persons living on the Waini Sea Coast, Police and Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard need to investigate the incident.
Kallicharran, who depends on fishing for his livelihood, estimated his loss to be at least $1.3M.
He said his boat, ‘Miss Devina’ was badly burnt beyond repair and, although it was licensed, he has not been given the documentation by the Fisheries Department.
Kallicharran is also seeking the intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture to help capture the assailants and get back his engine and he advocated for more patrols in the Waini to protect fishermen at sea.