-no record of distress signal, MARAD says

AS the search continues for three fishermen who are feared drowned, a seven-member multi-agency Board of Inquiry (BoI) will investigate the circumstances that led to their boat sinking in the Atlantic Ocean and how their employer responded upon hearing of the incident.

This announcement was made during a joint media briefing held by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar.

The members of BoI are Yulander Hughes of the Transport and Harbours Department, Captain John Flores the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Ronald Charles from the Ministry of Public Works, Lt. Rawle Williams from the Coast Guard, Senior Superintendent Ewart Wray from the Guyana Police Force-Marine Unit, Dwayne Vhypius from the Ministry of Labour and Denzil Roberts, who is the Head of the Fisheries Department at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Minister Indar noted that given the grave nature of the incident, the government has set up the BoI to investigate the manner in which the incident was dealt with by Noble House Seafoods Limited.

He stated that the board members are expected to give a full report, which should include several pieces of information such as findings and any potential sanctions that could legally be imposed on the company if it is found to be liable.

Missing are captain of the vessel, Harold Anthony Damon, 45, crew member Ronald Burton, 78 and Winston Sam, 46. Damon, a father of three and Burton, a father of 10 are residents of Agricola, East Bank Demerara.

According to the information provided by Vincent Dazzell who survived the ordeal and was rescued by a passing vessel, the seabob trawler capsized and sank some 18 miles off the Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara coast in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday morning.

The men, who are feared dead, according to reports, are trapped underneath the overturned vessel.

Dazzell had related to the relatives of the missing men and the police that they noticed that the vessel was taking in water in the engine room and in another section.
He said the captain made contact with Noble House Seafoods to relate what had happened. However, the radio transmission became distorted and the captain was searching for his cellphone when the vessel capsized. This resulted in everyone leaping overboard.

Dazzell further related that the captain and others began shouting for help and it was a nearby fishing vessel that heard their calls and rushed to help. However, he was the only one found.
In a statement released last evening, Noble House said it was deeply saddened by the incident involving the four-man crew and motor vessel WorldFriends 307. It added that it is concerned about the disappearance of the three crew members.

It was explained that upon learning of the incident, management met with relatives and will continue to inform them of all developments.

“Noble House Seafoods Limited wishes to assure the families of the crew members that they will continue to support all and every effort to locate the crew members. Noble House Seafoods Limited has launched an internal investigation into the cause of this incident,” the release said.

Assurances were given that the company stands ready to co-operate with any other potential investigation into this incident.

NO DISTRESS SIGNAL
Meanwhile, Minister Benn told the media that no report was made by the company that the vessel was in distress. He said that the first report was made 24 hours after the vessel sank.
“Our understanding is that there was no information passed on to the lighthouse or MARAD of the accident. So, it was approximately 24 hours before there was any official knowledge of the incident,” he said

Minister Benn noted that the first indication of the incident was made at the Mahaica Police Station after the lone survivor was rescued and related news of the incident to ranks on duty.
Further, MARAD Director-General Stephen Thomas, explained to the media that difficulties at sea are expected to be made known to the agency by those on the vessel though a distress signal on an emergency channel.

He noted that several of MARAD’s sub agencies operate on a 24-hour basis in the event that an emergency comes up. These agencies include the coast guard and the boat house which will activate emergency response in cases of distress. He noted that this was never done in this incident.

“All vessels are required to have a card with the distress procedure, so should there be an emergency they would call all stations. Any vessel within the vicinity would hear them and come to their assistance. We have so far no record of calls being made from the vessel on the emergency channel,” Thomas said.

It was disclosed that a search-and-rescue team inclusive of a vessel from MARAD and two divers, alongside an aerial search team were on Sunday deployed to the area to look for the missing men. There have been no reports of success in the search.

HOPEFUL
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha met with relatives of the missing fishermen at his Regent Street office on Monday. He told them that he remains hopeful that the men were able to activate their skills as experienced fishermen and are alive.

He also told the family that the incident has attracted the attention of His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

He reassured the families that the government will work with them to ensure they have full disclosure of the findings of the multi-agency probe and that they can rest assured that they have the government’s full support.