–exercise could continue once new information is acquired, Minister Edghill says

A SEARCH for three fishermen who went missing after the Noble House Seafoods trawler sank near the Mahaica River, on February 19, has been suspended.

This announcement was made by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, in the presence of the families of Captain Harold Damon, Winston Sam, Ronald Burton and the lone survivor Vincent Dazzell.

During the meeting which took place at the Public Works Ministry, it was disclosed that after covering over 1,800 nautical miles within 936 hours, the fishermen nor the vessel could be found.

The search was undertaken by Noble House Seafoods, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard.

Minister Edghill, in expressing his sympathy to the families, said: “At this point, I do not know what else I can do in terms of search. It is a tough decision, but we would have to suspend the search and go into a new phase of being on the alert while we continue to traverse the areas praying that we find something.

“MARAD told me that the sonar equipment which scans the river bed was damaged during the search. As soon as we could get the parts, we will do a scanning of the sea bed again once we get that fixed.”

While there are many unanswered questions, the minister said he is saddened that the search had to be suspended until any new information surfaces.

Minister Edghill said he wanted the families to be assured that the government had done everything possible to bring the matter to a close.

He also highlighted to the families that there had never been a search for missing persons as extensive, and within such a long period, as the search for the three missing fishermen.

“Some people felt that I would have suspended the search after a couple of days and you are not seeing anything floating, but I know that there are human beings with real emotions that are looking for answers.

“I would also want, as a person in the discharge of my responsibility, as the minister responsible for the sector, to ensure that everything that was humanly possible, every resource that is available to the state and to the private sector was utilised to ensure that we get answers,” Minister Edghill said.

A report stemming from the Board of Inquiry (BoI) which was launched into the matter, will be made available today, the minister said. A copy of the report, he said, will be made available to the families of the missing fishermen.

“If you have any questions, concerns or any information that could help us at the end of reading that report, my office remains open and available to you for engagement,” Edghill said.

The members of the Board of Inquiry were Yulander Hughes from the Transport and Harbours Department; MARAD’s Captain, John Flores; 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.