The Carli Bay Fishing Association is urging inexperienced seafarers to take more precautions before venturing out into deep waters.
Imtiaz Khan, the head of the association, spoke with Guardian Media on Monday in light of last week’s disaster where two people drowned and two are still missing after their boat capsized. Two others were able to swim to safety.
On April 14, six men from Beaucarro Road, Freeport, went fishing and their flat-bottomed boat capsized and sank.
The bodies of Chunilal Gyandass and Ronald Narinesingh washed ashore the following day, while Kumar Lalla, and Glen “Dave” Prahalad, swam ashore after the incident.
Gyandass Siewnarine and Vinesh Marlo remain missing.
Khan said if there were sufficient life jackets on the boat the four other men would have been alive. Khan said the boat was incapable of operating in the ocean.
He said such a small boat could safely carry two passengers in calm waters. Khan said experienced fishermen and newcomers should always ensure that they each have a life jacket and some flotation device, wireless radios and cellphones securely packed in waterproof containers. He warned that the vessel should not be overloaded.
Khan extended his sympathies to the relatives of the deceased and hoped the missing men would be found.