By: Amar Persaud
Claudine Welch, the daughter of 78-year-old Ronald Burton, who along with two others are currently missing after the vessel which they were working on capsized on Saturday morning, said that she still has faith that her father and the others have survived.
Also missing are 44-year-old Harold Damon of Lot 4 Water Street, Agricola, Greater Georgetown and 47-year-old Winston Sam of Lot 32 Public Road, McDoom, Greater Georgetown. Burton resides at Lot 23 Water Street, Agricola. They were working on a vessel owned by Noble House Seafoods.
Welch, during a telephone interview with INews, recalled receiving the dreaded news on Saturday evening, when the lone survivor of the mishap informed the family.
“He went to sea on last Sunday he was coming back on Saturday, on Saturday night at 11 ‘o’clock the person that survived, come and say that the boat sunk ant that’s what we heard happened.”
“The next morning, I go out on the road at 05:30 because nobody could’ve have sleep and I saw the man that say that, I said tell me what happened, and he talked and said that he went outside and saw that the boat was taking in water and they called Noble House and the boat keep taking in water and Noble House ain’t answering them and a whole set of different things,” she explained.
Welch said that she then made contact with the police to ensure that they were aware of the incident.
“I said did you went to the station he said yes, I left he and I come across the road take a car and start from Grove Police Station right down to Agricola Police Station, there was no report made concerning the incident or nothing, nobody know nothing about that.”
She noted that too that the family has have not received any information from Noble House Seafoods.
“The company never called and say that this happen or that happen or we going look into the matter or whatever.”
Meanwhile, Welch highlighted that Burton, who is a father of ten, greatly loved what his job, and had no plans to retire soon.
“He worked all his life on sea…he always does work; the company is always does send for he because he’s good…he said that if he retires, he dies, that’s what he said all his life,” the daughter expressed.
“He was a friendly person, he liked to party, he is not a 70 something that was grumpy and looked like 70 something, he’s a flouncing, sparkling 70 something,” she stated admirably.
The Ministry of Public Works announced that an independent panel was established comprising representatives of the Ministry, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, the Guyana Police Force Marine Unit, and the Transport and Habours Department to investigate this matter.
The surviving fisherman, Vincent Dazzell, told family members of the three missing men that the vessel, started taking in water early Saturday morning.
Dazzell claimed that he was awoken by the captain sometime after 06:00h to check the boat, when he saw the engine room, ice-hold and ladder were already under water.
At that point, the captain called in to alert Noble House but lost connection whilst talking to them, the survivor related. He further recalled that as the boat sank deeper, they also lost control of the vessel.
The man told the concerned family members that the crew were separated on two sides of the boat – he was with the captain. Dazzell related that the captain instructed him to cut the lifeboat and went inside to get his phone so that he could try calling for help, when the boat capsized and reportedly pinned the three missing men.
The survivor informed relatives that he was in the water for some time before being rescued by another boat. The fisherman claimed that they circled the area for some three hours before heading back to shore.
Upon arrival, he went to Noble House and informed the managers there of what transpired.
