Days after they left their Abary, Region Five home for a fishing trip, two fishermen were rescued on Monday after drifting for days at sea.
The News Room understands that Keston Fordyce, 35, and Lincoln Culley, 37, both of Abary, were reportedly rescued by a passing boat sometime Monday morning.
The men left their homes at around 06:00hrs on August 18 for fishing in the Abary River in their fishing boat named – ‘Sonia’.
In an interview with the News Room on Monday, Fordyce’s sister-in-law Melicca McPherson said the men were expected to return on Friday evening but they didn’t, causing the family to become worried.
“Usually they would return a lot earlier but they did inform the family that they were going to do what is called two drops which is they were going to do double fishing. So the latest to expect them would have been 10pm (Friday),” McPherson explained.
She added, “There was a lot of heavy rain with thunder and lightning so persons were concerned that they were out there and after 10 pm on Friday the worry intensify when they didn’t show up the rest of the night”.
According to McPherson, the family concerns grew after Saturday passed and there was still no sign or word from the men.
“The thought was that maybe they had some engine problem and they would have took a little while during the night and probably arrive early Saturday morning but Saturday came and went and no sign of them,” she told the News Room.
On Sunday, McPherson said persons from the community of Mahaicony mobilized a team and they left in search of the men.
“Everyone was desperate for information because the search party was going to return around four or so. When the search party returned they said they couldn’t find them,” she noted.
During this time, McPherson said she along with other family members tried to call the men but their phones were unreachable.
It was until Sunday afternoon that they received a call from Culley.
“We suspected that their phones were about to die and they turn it on to make one call…He (Culley) called with the little bit of juice to say the boat drifted all the way to the Essequibo. Well, they suspect it to be Essequibo because they are stuck between what appears to be two islands, Melicca related.
At that time, Melicca said Culley related that they were running short of food and water.
“They were weak, they were dehydrated, disoriented because from Friday the only thing they had to eat up to Sunday was half a pack of Crix biscuit and one little bottle of water between the two of them,” she said.
It is suspected that the men experienced some issues with their boat while at sea.
A report was subsequently made at the Mahaicony Police Station.
On Monday morning, McPherson said the families were informed that the men were rescued somewhere around the Pomeroon and arrangements are being made to have them transported to Parika so they can return home.
