A fisherman is now dead and three of his crewmen are missing after a suspected piracy attack on a fishing vessel in Suriname waters.
The four fishermen, all from the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), were on a fishing expedition but their boat was found without them in it.
Dead is 36-year-old Kawal Kissoon also called “Ajai” of Letter Kenny Village, Corentyne.
Missing are Marvin Tamesar also called “Buddy” and “Bin Laden”, 20, of Lot 305 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant;
Vishnu Seeram, also called “Kevin”, 20, of Lot 76 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant;
and Otto Lemar Petrie, 20, of Lot 90 Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant.
The four men departed the wharf for the sea at Number 65 Village last Saturday aboard Sara 1 – a fishing vessel owned by Sharanand Rabindranath called “Jerry” of Number 68 Village, Corentyne. They were expected to return before the end of the month.
However, Kissoon’s body was discovered on the foreshore at Abary on Friday with his hands bound behind his back and his feet tied together. However, it was not until Saturday that his body was identified.
Sara 1 was found on the foreshore at Wellington Park, Corentyne, on Friday afternoon. None of the crew members was seen in it. The owner was contacted and the boat was inspected by Police.
A villager told INews that the boat was seen on the foreshore since Wednesday but none of the crew members was seen.
“I see the boat there but did not take it for anything,” a villager said. Other villagers reported seeing the boat on Monday at a fair distance offshore, drifting.
Police are still investigating while search parties have been formed to look for the missing men. Up to late Saturday evening, they were still searching.
Last April and May, five fishing vessels were attacked in two separate instances. A total of 25 fishermen were affected and six survived. The bodies of three were recovered and 16 are still missing.
Two persons were subsequently charged for the attacks. Those cases are still ongoing.
