Hope is fading for four Guayaguayare fishermen who have been missing since January 31. This follows the discovery of a decomposing body tangled in the thick underbrush of the Cocuina mangroves in northern Venezuela.
Mayaro MP Rushton Paray said the body might be that of Rishi Khemchand as a cell phone found nearby is believed to belong to him.
A contact in Venezuela posted videos of a decomposed corpse crouched in the tidal swamps on the borders of Cocuina. Officials from the Caracas Embassy are expected to liaise with representatives of T&T law enforcement and family members.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne promised that the mystery of the missing fishermen is being treated as a priority and is “being handled with sensitivity and diligence on both sides of the border.”
Paray said: “We have reached out to Minister Dr Amery Brown at the Foreign Affairs Ministry to offer assistance to the family in repatriating the body. At present, we continue to communicate with Mr Khemchand’s family.”
Leader of the Hunters Search and Rescue team led by Captain Vallence Rambharat said the verification process will begin once the body is brought back to T&T to determine the cause of death.
The discovery of this body has dashed the hopes of distraught relatives of the missing men who had been praying that all of the them would be found alive.
Heeralal ‘Linus’ Kooblal, 54, of Grand Lagoon, Mayaro, Rishi Khemchand, 38, Andy ‘Tallman’ George, 40 and the boat’s captain, George Joti have not been seen since they left Grand Lagoon Village, Mayaro, two weeks ago on a five-day fishing expedition.
Their boat, Benom 2 TFN 5906, was found capsized off Cedros near Venezuela on February 5. Lifejackets and rescue rafts from the vessel were missing giving relatives hope that the fishermen might be safe.
Dr Browne said all assistance will be provided to the families.