A SEAMAN attached to Pritipaul Singh Investments drowned recently during a three-week stint at sea and police have since held surviving members as they launch an investigation into the incident

Dead is Navishwar Karamdatt, 33, called “Sharma” of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. It is alleged that he drowned on December 8.
Reports indicate that the fishing vessel “MV Snook” was out at sea when the captain reported that one of the crew members was missing from the vessel and instructed a return to the Houston Wharf.

On Saturday morning, the vessel arrived at the Houston Wharf and its crew were taken into custody for further investigation into the alleged disappearance of their missing colleague.
The 24-year-old captain claimed that he left the Pritipaul Wharf on December 3 for a three-week fishing trip. He had a crew of four men and on December 12, was piloting the vessel when he heard shouts of “man overboard, man overboard” and eventually saw Sharma overboard.

The boat captain claimed he immediately turned around the vessel but he was unable to get to “Sharma” in time and despite efforts by other members of the crew, Sharma went under the water and did not resurface.

According to the boat captain, the crew was over 100 miles out at sea and after making a call to his superior, he returned with the vessel to the wharf and they were taken into police custody.