Six men last Thursday were rescued by a dredging ship and the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guards after their boat sank some three miles off the Georgetown coast in the vicinity of Lileendaal.
Speaking with HGPTV Nightly news on Tuesday, one of the rescued men Hafeez Ali recounted that the boat sank around 11:00hrs.
He and some friends had departed in the boat from behind Marriot Hotel around 07:00hrs to go on a sport fishing trip. They decided to cast their seine some three miles of the coast. While drifting they felt the seine start to “tingle”. Realizing the it might have become entangled with something below the water they began to pull it but then, recalled Ali, a powerful wave struck the boat and it almost sunk.
They decided cut the seine before another wave came but unfortunately the wave struck again before they were finished. This time, recounted Ali, they were not the lucky and the boat became submerged and slowly sunk.
They made use of the life jackets and life bouys that were on the boat and reportedly swam and drifted for some five hours before they rescued.
Ali said that they were cold and his leg began to cramp, however, one of the men decided to “lose of his life bouy” and reportedly swam to a dredging ship in the river. They took him and related to them what had happened.
The Dredge ship reportedly located two of the drifting men and rescued them. The coast Guard were alerted and a boat was dispatched to rescue the remaining three.
Grateful for their lives the men are now offering a reward of $1M to anyone who can find their sunken boat. Contact can be made with the owner on telephone numbers, 653 3800, +1 917 434 7466 or
+1 718 659 8844
Dredging ship, coast guards rescue sport fishers after boat sinks
