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Four fishermen, including a boat captain, were rescued early Wednesday after their fishing vessel was severely damaged by powerful waves about 10 miles offshore, forcing the crew to spend the night stranded at sea while another fisherman remains missing.
Boat captain Dale Yipsam, 39, of Diamond Housing Scheme and a father of two, told Ignite News that the crew had departed on February 25 and planned to spend about two weeks at sea before returning to Meadow Bank after roughly 15 days.
The incident occurred around 13:00 hrs on Tuesday while the crew was carrying out routine fishing operations.
Yipsam said the crew had just finished retrieving their nets when he shut off the engine and went to the engine room to remove a belt connected to the vessel’s hydraulic system.
“As I was going to open the engine room, these powerful waves come and lash the boat on the side and break the whole side of the boat. It break straight from the stern to the bow,” he said.
The impact caused severe structural damage, leaving the vessel leaning heavily to one side.
“When I open back the engine room, water done show up to the engine already. I know then the boat about to sink,” Yipsam added.
During the incident, Ryan Roberts, 33, of Block B Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, was knocked overboard when the waves struck and the vessel’s side broke apart. He had been at the rear of the boat at the time.
The remaining crew attempted to pull Roberts back aboard as the vessel continued taking on water.
“When they tell me the man overboard, I pull in and we try get him back in the vessel then he tell me he foot break. I tell he stop making them jokes … but the boat keep leaning to one side,” Yipsam recalled.
Before abandoning the vessel, the crew tried to secure a life ring for Roberts, who had initially fallen overboard. As the boat sank, the men entered the water and managed to hold onto an ice box for support.
Several powerful waves battered the fishermen as they struggled to remain afloat in rough seas.
Yipsam said Roberts had been holding onto a life ring tied to a rope, but as waves continued crashing over the group he eventually became separated.
“After a few more powerful waves hit, he disappear and we ain’t see him back,” Yipsam said.
The remaining fishermen managed to stay afloat through the night before being rescued around 06:00 hrs on Wednesday, nearly 17 hours after the incident.
Authorities have not yet released full details of the rescue operation.
Relatives have since launched a search for Roberts, who remains missing after becoming separated from the group during the ordeal. The search is ongoing.
