Up to late yesterday afternoon there was still no sign of Rudy Fernandes, who went missing over the weekend when the fishing boat he was on along with four others capsized in the Atlantic Ocean about three miles from land.
Fernandes, 32, of Grove, Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was reported missing after the mishap on Friday.
Meanwhile, the body of 25-year-old Peter Duncan of Charlestown was found late on Sunday afternoon by Coast Guard members.
Yesterday Fernandes sister, Anita Fernandes, told Stabroek News they would have to accept that the man had died as it was not possible that he would have survived in the water from since Friday night. She said she visited the owners of the boat, William II, at Guyana Quality Seafood Ltd, New Hope, EBD, and was told that there was no sighting of the man.
The woman had told Stabroek News on Sunday that her brother was owed in excess of $200,000.
Among those who survived the mishap that occurred at around 11.30 pm on Friday are the captain of the boat, Rasheed Hussain of Craig, EBD; Vitendra Manhor of Grove, EBD and Malcolm Welcome of New Hope, EBD.
Hussain was rescued around 3 pm on Saturday clinging to a fish pen post, but Manhor never made it to land until around 1 am on Sunday and was forced to crawl on his hands and knees as his legs had given out. Welcome was rescued while clinging to the top of a fish pen where he had been since 11.30 am on Saturday. Welcome, Manhor and Fernandes were on the fish pen top but when the tide changed Manhor and Fernandes decided to leave in an attempt to find help.
Welcome did not go with them as he had injured his hand and they had promised to send back help for him. Manhor had told Stabroek News that he was floating with the tide along with Fernandes and they were communicating for some time by calling out to each other. He said after some time Fernandes stopped responding and he continued on his journey alone.
He found land at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, and had to beg refuge at a woman’s house after he was chased away from a shop by some men.
