The lone survivor of a reported pirate attack in Suriname two weeks ago, which resulted in one body washing ashore and three others missing and presumed dead, has reasserted his innocence.
The story related by Salim Feroze Hack of Lusignan, the captain of the crew has generated skepticism particularly after the boat and one of the bodies washed ashore last week in the Mahaica/ Mahaicony area. While those in the business say it is not unheard of that tides can sweep the vessel and the body this far west from Suriname there are still doubts about Hack’s story.
Family members of dead man and the missing trio have raised questions about Hack’s account.
Hack told Stabroek News yesterday that he is innocent. He continued, “I have done everything and will continue to do everything to get justice for the families of my crew.” He noted that pirate incidents happen all the time and many fishermen fall victim. He said that the police need to bolster their efforts to protect fishermen out in the deep sea with more coast guards and patrol units frequenting the waters. He added, “If this was being done properly everyone might have been able to survive.”
Responding to suspicions raised by family members, Hack said that he is very hurt to be labelled a suspect, by the aggrieved families of his crew but stated boldly that he will pledge himself to respond to everything and to everyone because he understands the pain they are going through. In response to the boat floating more than 100 miles from the site of the piracy, Hack stated that the tides and winds are so strong that it is not only possible but easily explainable. He continued, “I recall one incident when a boat de geh capsized by waves in the Demerara River and de boat end up in Trinidad so this shouldn’t be that hard to accept because it is a fact.”
Responding to claims that Chandrapaul Jallim, aka Kevin made contact with family and friends by phone saying that something “funny” was happening on the boat, Hack said plainly, “That cannot be true”. He added, “We went in de Copenaam River where you need a Suriname SIM to get a signal and non a dem boys ain’t had one, so they wouldn’t be able to call or text anybody jus suh”.
However, sources close to Jallim say that phone logs showing calls from Jallim during the period at sea have been shown to the police.
Families of the missing and deceased when contacted by Stabroek News said that they are still searching for the missing three fishermen and are still skeptical of Hack’s statements. Some say that they’re open to accepting that the waves brought the boat into Mahaica, a week after the incident occurred and subsequently the body, while others are still suspicious. Father of Vinesh Drunarine, Rudy Drunarine said that he accepts the story he was told by Hack in the presence of two detectives and if he’s lying then he’ll answer to God.
Hack had said that the attack was carried out on July 9, nearly two hours after midnight. The boat was stripped of its cargo and possessions and later left drifting at sea while the crew members were thrown overboard one by one. Hack on Saturday told Stabroek News that when he was thrown overbroad he unknotted the rope around his hands and swam to his crewmen. He said he saw three of them. “I tell them that we gotta swim to the dam but they were hollering ‘Oh God we gon dead!’” he said.
At that time, he said that one of the pirates flashed a light in their faces and slowed the boat, turning it around. “He started spinning the boat around us for some time…I don’t know if it hit any of them but after that I didn’t see back anybody,” he said.
“That caused the separation between us,” he added, explaining that he averaged it was fifteen minutes away from shore. Hack said he was in so much pain he was unable to swim so he balanced himself and the tide started to push him to shore. “Everything was running through my mind…I was making peace with God…I never tell myself that I could make the distance. I didn’t think I woulda survive it.”
“And then I started thinking about my family and the workers… what will happen to them…I never had this experience before… I begged God that if he saved my life I would never come back on sea,” he said.
He recalled feeling his flesh being pierced by fish bites. “Honestly God saved my life,” he said. “When I catch myself I reached a place top of the Copenaam called Bun Bush.”
“My two foot couldn’t take me weight…so I lie down pon the mud and I fell asleep,” he related, stating that he awoke several hours later and pushed himself to get up and find help. He found a boat and the crew gave him clothes, water and food. “I asked them if they have a phone so I could call my wife,” he said.
He said after he told the men his story, the boat took him to a police station in Suriname and six days of rigorous searching began to no avail.
Hack, who returned to Guyana on Friday, has since been placed on station bail and is required to visit the Beterverwagting police station every day. Hack has since been asked to give a statement on the pirate boat but this has been delayed because he is unwell, as he says the doctor told him his eyes were bleeding from the back. Hack has said that the pirates were Guyanese.
The empty boat was found on July 14th at De Hoop, Mahaica. Three days later the body of 41-year-old Andrew Gopie, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara washed ashore at Mahaicony. His body was found by a search party, comprising the four families and police. Meanwhile, Vinesh Drunarine called Dinesh or Monkey Brain, 24, of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, and Raymond Gomes, 37, and Chandrapaul Jallim, 19, both of Recht-door-Zee, West Bank Demerara still remain missing.
