Guyana engages Surinamese authorities over Guyanese fishermen missing at sea

In light of reports of the disappearance of four Guyanese fishermen after their boat capsized in Surinamese waters on Saturday evening, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha described the situation as “unfortunate” and noted that local authorities are trying to get more information on the matter.
On Tuesday, the Jamaican Observer reported that rescue teams in Suriname were searching for four Guyanese, now feared dead, after their fishing vessel sank in the Saramacca River near Lareco on Saturday.

“Presently, I don’t know what the circumstances are. I have spoken to our ambassador in Suriname to get some more information. Hopefully, I can get more information soon,” the minister noted.
It was reported that the Police said that they had received a report early Monday morning that the crew was seen floating on ice cubes. The report also stated the people in the area had used their boats to search for the four people, without success.
The National Army, Marine Corps, and the Groningen Police were also deployed in the search.
The wife of the boat owner reported that her husband and three crew members were missing, but she did not provide the names of the crew members.
According to her, her husband departed from the mooring at Huwelijkszorg on the evening of Friday, October 17, 2025, in a recently purchased and renovated fishing boat, heading for Paramaribo for a mandatory seaworthiness inspection by the Maritime Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LVV).
She said that on Saturday morning, her husband, identified only as RL, called her to say the boat was taking on water and they were floating on ice. The call was abruptly cut off.
Later that evening, he called again and asked her to quickly write down the coordinates because “he wouldn’t make it.” According to authorities, the location she gave turned out to be more than 100 kilometres offshore, in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean.
Minister Mustapha, however, noted that the situation is very concerning.
“We are very concerned because, generally, whenever our fisherfolk encounter difficulties like those, we tend to work along with our Coast Guard and work along with the other agencies so that we can try as much as possible to locate them. However, this incident took place in Suriname waters, and I’m hoping that the Surinamese authorities, because I have also seen news that the Surinamese authorities have sent out their patrol vessels and also helicopters to look for these guys.”
“I am hoping by the end of today (Wednesday), I can get some more information from our ambassador here, and then I can put out an official statement from the Ministry of Agriculture… We are hoping that these people, that vessel, can find them alive and bring them back to Suriname safely. So, I am very optimistic that that can happen,” he said.
Guyana Times understands that the fishermen were Guyanese-born but migrated to Suriname some time ago. Up to press time, no update was given on the situation.