–Vessel shows up at Mahaica foreshore, police suspicious

FOUR Guyanese fishermen are feared dead after their hands were reportedly tied before they were chopped and beaten with cutlasses and then tossed into Suriname waters, where they ply their trade.

The captain of the vessel was the only one who managed to jump off the vessel and swim to shore, and was reportedly rescued by persons in Suriname.

This publication was able to confirm very late last evening that the captain of the boat is still in Suriname, having managed to swim to a place called Capernaum, where he made contact with the owner of the boat back in Guyana, and with Suriname officials.

While this publication has experienced great hardship to get the names of the missing crewmen, who are feared dead, one source told the Chronicle that, at this point, the only names given for the men are Dane, Gopie and Gomes.

This publication was unfortunately not in a position to confirm the name of the other victim involved in this tragic incident.

Speaking with Crime Chief Leslie James last evening, this publication obtained confirmation that a suspected act of piracy had been reported to the police, and that it is engaging the attention of the police in ‘A’ ‘B’ and ‘C Divisions.
He said the first report received by the police in relation to the matter did not come as a pirate attack, by rather a missing person report which was filed by the captain and family.

Investigators are very keen on their particular investigation because, despite the act of piracy having taken place in Suriname, the vessel was on Monday spotted drifting in the De Hoop area at the Mahaica Foreshore, something investigators said is very suspicious given the very strong river and sea currents it has had to endure.

It is being suggested in some circles that the persons who attacked the Guyanese fishermen on sea are their own countrymen, and might even be persons from the Mahaica area, who were also fishing in the same area and decided to carry out the act after they encountered difficulty in getting a handsome catch.

This publication was told that the men left for sea on July 09, and the missing persons report was filed on Sunday, July 13, when the incident occurred. The owner of the vessel travelled to Suriname on Monday, returned to Guyana yesterday, and was up to late last evening giving the police statements on the information he received from his captain.

The Crime Chief has said that the police in both countries are working closely on the matter. The Chronicle was told that one of the fishermen, a 24-year-old, had three of his fingers chopped off in the attack before the pirates threw him into the water. His relatives also say that he could not swim.
The captain reportedly told the boat owner that after the men were thrown into the water, he tried to loose their hands but was unsuccessful. He also related that when he turned around to look for the 24-year-old, he was nowhere in sight.

After the owner of the vessel was informed that the boat was spotted drifting in the Mahaica Foreshore area, he made efforts to have it brought to Mon Repos, closer to where he lives.

The police are of the view that the men who carried out the act are from somewhere along the Guyana Coast, and efforts are being made to get a hold of fisher folks who would have returned from sea between Sunday night and Monday.

(By Leroy Smith)