A body initially believed to be that of missing sailor Raymond Somra was found not to match him after further verification, leaving his family once again without answers more than a week after the sinking of the MV Barima on July 18.
The family later found some reassurance in a commitment on Wednesday, during a government meeting led by President Dr Irfaan Ali, with the affected families, that the vessel would not be abandoned and that a salvage operation would proceed.
Somra, 57, also known as “Uncle Blacks,” of Islington, East Bank Berbice, was among the passengers and crew caught up in the disaster.
His uncle, Pooran Grant, recalled the emotional toll of the false identification.
“I don’t know who gave us the call that they found him. Even I was telling my family that we found him,” Grant said. “But when I got to understand, one of my great-nephews went and when they turned the body that he suspected was Raymond, that person had a tattoo, and Raymond doesn’t have a tattoo,” he added.
Grant said he felt reassured by the salvage timeline that was given on Wednesday.
“I felt a great relief to know it’s not going to be left there. If they should pick up anything for Raymond, then we will be more satisfied. What I understand from the President he said they’re going to salvage it, and he said it’s going to take about eight to 10 weeks to do that,” Grant related with a sense of relief.
He became emotional as he reflected on his close relationship with his nephew.
“To be honest, he is my favourite nephew. I used to live here. We still bonded. We did a lot of things together. Every day, although he was working there, Raymond and I would talk on the phone. Even before that Saturday, around 1:00 or 1:30, he called me and said, ‘Uncle Malik, I going out.’ He told me, ‘When I come back, I got to set your sister right,'” he related.
Somra’s mother, Rebecca Somra, said she continues to struggle with the uncertainty surrounding her son’s fate. She recalled pleading with him not to make the journey.
“I can’t really say where he is right now. Every time I take food to eat, I remember him. I get this feeling like he’s somewhere waiting for people to find him,” she said through tears.
The mother added: “Me vex with he because when he call me and tell me certain things, me say, ‘Raymond, don’t go nowhere.’ But Raymond was determined, and he went.”
As recovery operations continue, the Somra family remains hopeful that the search and planned salvage will finally bring them the answers and closure they have been seeking.
