How four ‘boys’ think like ‘men’ to stay alive at sea six days

Three of the teens who were available to speak with BIG Smith Crime Watch about their experience at sea

Story and photos by Leroy Smith

Manmohan Indir 19, Diveshwanand Latchman 19, Annand Sookram 18 and his 19 year old brother Sahadeo Ramkisson all woke to a bright start last week Tuesday as they prepared and departed the Abary foreshore to ply their fishing trade with plans to return the following day. However unforeseen circumstances left them on the high seas for six days; four of which they spent without food and potable water.

The BIG Smith Crime was first informed by relatives on Friday evening that the teenagers had not return from sea after several efforts to make contact and searches for them proved futile. We immediately Guyana Defense Coast Guard who began engaging the families in an effort to bring the four teenagers home.

On Sunday the men managed to return to shore and all with the exception of one, sat and spoke with BIG Smith Crime Watch about their encounter at sea.

Along with Annand and Manmohan, we sat at the home of Diveshwanand Latchman. Annand’s brother, Sahadeo Ramkisson was not part of the interview as he was out trying to find sale for the catch they returned with.

‘Angela 3’ is the vessel the teens went to sea with, it’s owned by the parents of Sookram and (the two brothers) who have been working alone at sea for just about four years now, Manmohan Indir finds himself on the vessel whenever he is not sowing paddy or harvesting rice while Diveshwanand Latchman would go along with the boys whenever he wants to ‘ketch ah lil extra raise’ according to him.

The teens recalled the Abary Foreshore at 10: am on June 25, 2019 with enough food stuff to last them 33;hrs the most as they were slated to return by dust on June 26, 2019. They took along with them curried chicken and rice, cake and bread and three packs of macaroni along with enough potable water for that period also.

Problems

Several miles out at sea, they made their first of three intended drop (releasing of the seine) but soon found out that they were having difficulties with the engine. In-fact; they had prior knowledge of the 40 horse-power engine’s faultiness but on all previous occasions they managed to restore it to working condition, something they were unsuccessful with this time around.

The engine is usually in idle mode when the seine is down but according to Sookram, given its technical problems, it would cut off while idling. After the first catch, they did have some difficulty with the engine but it nevertheless restarted and they went deeper into the waters.

Manmohan Indir 19 years old

“De engine davelop ah cabarata problem and we did not have the right set ah tools to open it suh we had to ancho de boat and stay right there and pick up de seine and de next morning de engine start and we ge move again and throw” Manmohan Indir explained.

According to teenagers, it was after the second drop on Wednesday morning that they realized the engine was not starting and the luck they had on Tuesday was not theirs to have on Wednesday.

The boys explained while they would usually try to remain closer to shore as possible. With no GPS, radio or compass on the vessel they are able to gauge their distance from land by the mobile phone signal strength. This is even while visibility of land or ocean going vessels are absent.

Diveshwanand Latchman 19 years old

“Afta we start fuh get de problem we anchor de boat fuh stay close to land in terms of seeing land but we cud not see nuttin. We just had two pacent on de phone and one bar signal dat was cuming and going suh when we try fu mek ah call it cut aff. Depending on how de tide wuk, if it falling it ah carry yuh out mo and if it rising it ah bring you in suh we decide fuh anchor de boat because the tide lil tricky and it ah confuse yuh sometimes suh we na been want fuh go out mo so we anchor suh dat we cudda ah least geh fu see people wen dem ah pass” Diveshwanand Latchman told BIG Smith Crime Watch.

Unresponsive help  

When the phone failed and the place became foggy to the point that no approaching or distant light can be seen, the teenagers turn their attention to the skies above, but while they were not literally calling on God, they looked to one of his creation for guidance and directions, just as in the days of the Bible.

“We na really trust the water because if abby go out mo yuh know, you nah go can see people. Wan, wan time like you does get mix up like. In certain time you does gah watch the moon and the place was very foggy because yuh na seeing nothing and the weather de bad and the breeze been ah blow hard suh you na like really getting no encouragement” Sookram related.

Annand Sookram 18 years old

Despite anchoring ‘Angela 3’, she still drifted slowly with the wind and tides. The young boys related that despite their numerous efforts to get the attention of passing trawlers and other fishing vessels which were milers away from them, they did not get the help they needed as those vessels continued along their way. The teenagers related that they waived their jerseys, mostly red which signified that they were in danger.

The mind of someone lost at sea

We asked them about their thoughts while being at sea alone in such circumstances, the three young men were pretty briefed as they spoke of what went through their minds.

Manmohan Indir related “I was just studying about my family and what going on and if them would never see me again and so on”

For Diveshwanand Latchman his life and family were in focus. “Meh been studying if me gon live or meg gon die pluse meh family dem mussie been study fuh me too”

Annand Sookram, the pro at it all said that whenever he and his brother are at sea, their mother would usually adopt one posture and it was no different this time around especially since they were gone for an unusual period. “Well me mother ah study both ah we, me and meh buddy and she na been sleep whole night she does wake and watch man and”

He said that while he has had experience of remaining at sea longer that his schedule period, this is the first time that he has been at sea so long in a handicap position.

Big Smith Crime Watch asked the boy “suh tell me dis, who and who cry?”  to which the all began speaking at the time as they recounted that the ordeal was one they never had to deal with before and that they have been crying a lot while being a support to each other. “all ah abby cry, all ah abby” they related.

The last straw  

Asked about the survival, the boys related that the cooked food of curried chicken and rice was finish on the first day and they moved onto other preservative food which they had in the cabin. When that was exhausted, they were left with three packs of raw macaroni but no fresh water to boil it so they improvised.

The teens used the ice from the ‘ice box’ which they had brought the preserve the fish. The water from melted ice was used for drinking purposes and to boil the macaroni which they had to share in small portions in order for it to last a few hours as that was the last straw before reaching the last resort of turning to raw fish.

When the water from the melted ice was done, the teenagers related that they were forced to again turn to another creation of God, this time they looked below. The teens began drinking the salt water from the ocean

The teen said they thought about piracy and every other thing worst that could happen to them but they keep praying even as their respective families were praying at home.

The Rescue

The teenagers are of the view that vessels they signaled earlier deliberately refused to come to their rescue but they are not sure why.

However it was on Saturday that that a boat which was heading out to ply the same trade at them spotted their signals and approached them.

They all started to cry as the boat reached closer as they explained to the occupants their dilemma. The men however promised to help get them back to shore but not before going about their own fish catching business first.

They advised the men to be on the look for them. When night fall, Indir took a flash light and was signalling at various intervals so that the returning vessel could be able to identify their current location.

The night before that, both Sookram and Ramkisson took turns of doing the same thing as they attempted to get the attention of any vessel which was on the water at night that could provide a rescue for them.

Later that night the men returned but instead of towing the boat with the teens and or taking all of them back to shore, the young men were advised that their boat was too large to be towed by the smaller one the other men had, they then decided to take one of the teens back to shore.

It was decided among the teenagers that Sahadeo Ramkisson will accompany the men back to shore which he did. Once back on land he informed his parents of the developments and the parents of the other boys were also informed.

Resources were mobilized and the families set out to the sea to rescue the remaining three young men and brought them back to shore. An engine was also taken which was placed onto the grounded vessel and it was brought back to the coast Sunday morning also.

Parents’ reaction

Nalenie Narine, the mother of Manmohan Indir was asked about her reaction to her son being stranded and possibly lost at sea. As she fought to hold back tears while recounting how she prayed.

“Meh keep on praying all the time to God and say please save the children because them small and them na know nuttin but life and meh ask for he save dem and bring all ah dem home and safe vcause dem nag get enough sense” Manmohan Indir is her only son and one daughter.

Bharrat Latchman the father of Diveshwanand Latchman was confident in his position in all that went on, he does not want his son back at sea under any circumstances.

“Meh can’t explain fuh tell you because ah depress dat been deh with ahbedeeze. We think dat we nag on see dem back and than Gog that ahwee see them back and I don’t want him to fo back at sea” the man related.

A number of Guyanese have lost their lives at sea over the years while plying their trade. Those loss of lives were either as a result of collision, vessels being attacked by piracy or vessels disappearing at seas after developing problems.

It should be noted however that piracy in Guyana waters almost appears to be a thing of the past as no cases have been reported in recent history.