Local authorities late Tuesday were still trying to locate and restore the ship containing several rotting bodies found Monday in Guyana waters.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill told the media at an emergency press conference late Tuesday that “it is unfortunate and therefore distressing” those individuals who have been chasing the boat over the last 24 hours have lost a look at the boat.
He said the boat was last seen around 19: 55h some 83 nautical miles from Guyana’s shore Monday night but after several hours of aerial and water patrol on Tuesday, authorities came up without rain.
Reports of the first sighting of the boat were made around 14:00 h on Monday by a private operator drifting some 112 nautical miles off the coast of Georgetown.
The Maritime Administration (MARAD), Guyana Police and the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) were all notified and went out to sea last night to tow the boat ashore.
According to Edghill, while the boat was seen again at 19: 55h, authorities were unable to get close to the boat to allow it to be connected to another ship and towed ashore due to bad weather .
Edghill said two boats with members of the GDF Coastguard, police ranks and local residents had been sent from North / West along with a helicopter from the GDF for well over five hours. They were also supported by a helicopter from ExxonMobil, but the boat was not seen.
“After five hours of aerial surveillance and covering the general area by several boats … this is, unfortunately, distressing because we haven’t been able to connect it to a tow line and we haven’t seen it for the day all, ”said Edghill.
Authorities are now speculating that it may have moved into the waters of another country or it could have sunk due to the rainy weather and rough seas.
“Anything we say is very speculative, it’s not final because we can’t find the boat,” Edghill added.
Edghill told the media that no boat and crew were reported missing in Guyana. He said he contacted the authorities in Suriname and there were no reports of a missing boat either.
The authorities here are still not sure the origin of the boat and the nationality of the deceased.
Addressing the media during the emergency press conference at the Maritime Emergency Rescue Coordination Center at Stabroek Wharf in Georgetown, Edghill was joined by Robeson Benn, Edghill; Director General (DG) of the Department of Maritime Administration (MARAD), Stephen Thomas and the director of Maritime Security, Captain John Flores.