Coast Guards rescue fishermen at sea after vessel sinks

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard personnel on Saturday rescued a group of fishermen after the vessel in which they were operating sank in the Atlantic Ocean off Iron Punt in Region One (Barima-Waini).
A report from the Guyana Defence Force has said the Coast Guards had launched a two-day search-and-rescue operation on Saturday following the receipt of a distress report which indicated that a fishing vessel had lost propulsion in the vicinity of Iron Punt in the Atlantic Ocean.

“Three vessels were deployed around midday in an effort to locate the vessel in distress. During the search, debris, including the icebox from the vessel, was seen at the foreshore of Iron Punt. Hence, it was suspected that the vessel had sunk,” the GDF report read.
It was further reported that the Coast Guards continued their search on Sunday with the assistance of a civilian vessel, and later rescued six fishermen who were able to swim to shore. They were rescued some 20 miles west of the wreckage site.
Upon questioning the men, the Coast Guards said, the fishermen explained that the vessel sank on Thursday and they supported each other as they swam ashore. The men were taken care of, transported to Coast Guard Headquarters, and were all received by their families at 04:00h on Monday.
“The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard takes this opportunity to remind mariners to make every effort to ensure that their vessels and engines are inspected and serviced before going out at sea, and to be sure to render assistance to any vessel in distress, as mandated by law”, the reported said.
More than a month ago, a similar situation occurred when GDF Coast Guard ranks saved several fishermen, including one who was drifting at sea for more than 19 hours. The ranks said they were conducting a search-and-rescue operation off the Essequibo Coast in response to a distress signal detected by the Timehri Control Tower.
The response vessel and team were immediately deployed to the location, and six crew members of the vessel Lady Shaneeza were pulled to safety from a life raft.
They said their vessel encountered extremely bad weather and sank. They also informed of another missing crew member who drifted off, wearing his life jacket. An aerial search by Roraima Airways was also launched to complement the effort.
Hours after, the additional crew member, 57-year-old Christopher Williams, who had been drifting for more than 19 hours, was rescued about four nautical miles off the mouth of the Pomeroon River.
Williams was transported by ambulance to the Charity Hospital for medical treatment. It was reported that at the time of the accident, the vessel was on its way back from Trinidad, after departing Guyana earlier this month. (G9)