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One of the three fishermen reported missing since Monday has turned up in Venezuela claiming that they were attacked and shot at sea.
Fishermen Adrian Guy of Bonasse Village, Cedros, Ronald Seethe, 27, of Teemul Trace, Clarke Road, Penal and Vishnu Ramkissoon, 30, of Coromandel Village, Cedros, left in a boat from the Otaheite Fishing Facility around midday on Monday and went out to sea.
People claimed to have seen them on land in Bonasse Village, Cedros around 2 pm that day. Their worried relatives reported them missing after they failed to return home.
The T&T Coast Guard went in search of the fishermen and their vessel, but found neither of them.
However, police received unconfirmed reports from the T&T Coast Guard that the men were attacked at sea and Guy swam to Venezuela.
According to a report, a vessel with five crew members crashed into the fishermens’ boat and they jumped overboard.
Guy, according to police, claimed he is a strong swimmer and was swimming ahead of his friends when he heard two gunshots.
When he reached ashore in Venezuela and looked for his friends they were no where in sight. Up to late yesterday there was no information about the whereabouts of the other two fishermen.
Guy was said to have been treated at a health facility in Venezuela and staying with relatives in that country.
This comes two months after Cedros fishermen Awardnath Hajarie, 52, his son Nicholas, 26 and friend Shami Seepersad, 35, were fishing in the Soldado Main Field located in Trinidad waters when they were chased and arrested by La Guardia Nacional.
After a video of the arrest on April 5 began circulating the Ministry of National Security contacted Venezuelan counterparts.
They were told that the men were fishing illegally in Venezuelan waters. The men were eventually released and safely returned home 16 days later.
When contacted about the latest incident, Icacos Fishing Association Esook Ali said fishermen from the south western peninsula will assist if called upon.
He could not give details of the incident but said the owner of the boat, which went missing, is a police officer.
“He told me about it on Monday. Right now fishing in the high seas is extremely dangerous. It is a risk we take every day but this is our livelihood.”
Dow Village South Oropouche Fishing Association president Suresh Seepersad said he was not aware of the incident.
Attempts to reach Lieutenant Sherron Manswell of the T&T Coast Guard were unsuccessful late yesterday