Rescued teenager Massidas said he held on to life ring for 4 days
ONE of the four survivors of sunken cargo vessel Chrisann-V, Deochand Massidas, 17, of 353 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, who was rescued on Saturday, said that the life ring he had held on to, along with Elroy Jack Jnr, another survivor, saved his life. The teen admitted that although he can swim a little, it was the life ring that saved his life and kept him afloat for four days until he was rescued.
He stated that from the time of the mishap in which the cargo vessel sank on February 29, he was in the company of Jack, and they both grabbed two life rings and jumped overboard, and managed to tie the life rings together.
Massidas added that that’s how they stayed in each other’s company passing the time chatting, hoping they would be rescued.
Massidas added that it was an experience he will never forget, and he was happy to be at home with his  mother and siblings whom he thought he would never see again.
On the night of the incident, Massidas said that the cargo vessel, Chrisann-V began taking in water and went under in about 10 minutes.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that he worked in the interior on land dredges for four years, and after his experience at sea, he will not be venturing out on the Atlantic for some time.
A humble and quiet Massidas, with blisters on his face, said that apart from feeling a bit out of sorts, he is doing well, and was expected to visit the doctor for a second check-up yesterday.
During the ordeal, Massidas remembered falling asleep, and when he woke up Jack was missing and he saw some bushes; he knew there was land nearby and managed to swim to shore at Tiger Beach, from where he was rescued.
He was picked up by a speedboat off Tiger Beach, 30 miles from Charity on the Essequibo Coast and was transported to the Charity Hospital from where he was collected by his mother, Seeranie Singh, 37, and taken home.
Those still unaccounted for are the captain of the vessel, John Vansluytman, and Julian Garraway.