OWNER of the fishing boat that was attacked by pirates off Shell Beach, Waini Sea Coast, North West District in the dangerous Iron Punt area Saturday night has estimated his loss in excess of $5.5M.

In an interview with the “Chronicle” via telephone, Mr. Satyanand Persaud of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo said his boat with five crew members came under attack with gun fire on Saturday night at around 20:00 hrs on the high seas.
According to the owner he was told by members of his crew that his boat was drifting in the Iron Punt area with seine overboard in the ocean at around 20:00 hrs on Saturday night when the attack started. Mr. Persaud said his workers were in the cabin of the boat when they heard gunshots and upon looking out saw a small boat approaching their boat.
According to the owner he was told by his workers that the men were masked and heavily armed.
Mr. Persaud said the four armed pirates ordered his crew members to lie face down on the floor of the boat. He said three of the pirates entered his boat and tried to take off his newly purchased 48 HP Yamaha out board engine from the boat stern but found difficulty because the engine was bolted and secured properly on the boat. Persaud said the pirates then ordered his crew to go into their small boat and the pirates then took his boat away with all his equipment including a GPS, compass and five drums with gasoline along with the catch, fish glue and dried snapper fish worth some $1M.
The owner said the bandits escaped with his fishing boat and engine after ordering his crew members to load a 40 HP and a 15 HP outboard engines from their small boat to the fishing boat. He said the pirates tied the small boat his crew members were in to the seine that was drifting in the ocean and sped off in the dark Atlantic Ocean.
Mr. Persaud said his crew was rescued by the Guyana Defence Force [GDF] Coast Guard who after getting reports of piracy in the Iron Punt area rushed to the rescue of the helpless fishermen. They were brought to Charity where the police were informed of the pirate attack at Iron Punt.
Reports said another fishing boat was also attacked by the pirates on Saturday night in the said area.