A Captain and his crew are presently in the custody of the Police assisting with investigations into the reported drowning of one of their crew members.
According to information reaching this publication, the vessel identified as Mv Snook 1, was being captained by 24-year-old Chrishnadat Sukhdeo of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
He told investigators that he and a crew of four went on a three weeks fishing trip when Navishwar Karamdatt, 33, called Sharma, a seaman of Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD fell overboard.
According to the captain, he was piloting the vessel when he heard shouts of “man overboard, man overboard” and after inspections he saw “Sharma” somewhere off in the distance.
He further claimed that he immediately turned around the vessel but he was unable to get to “Sharma” in time and despite efforts by other members of the crew, he went under the water and did not emerge again.
This publication understands that the captain was about 100 miles out at sea and after making a call to his employer, he returned with the vessel to the Pritipaul Wharf at Houston, EBD and they were taken into custody for further investigations to be done.
Police are currently investigating the matter and have since informed INews that the remaining crew members, which includes a brother-in-law of the suspected deceased, all gave similar accounts of what transpired.
Moreover, CCTV footage obtained from the fishing vessel itself, when replayed, showed Sharma sliding of the stern of the boat as it swayed from side to side due to the harsh waves.
