Gulf of Paria boat accident

One man remains missing and another’s body has been recovered from the Gulf of Paria after monster waves capsized their small wooden boat on Monday.

Chateram Singh’s body was found floating in the Gulf late Monday. There was no sign of the 68-year-old Felicity man’s boat or nets.

Neither has his fellow boatman Khemraj Sooklal, 59, been found.

The two men, who are not fishermen by trade but ardent lovers of the sea, set out to fish in the Gulf, after telling their families that they would be back later that day.

When they failed to return, at around 4.30 pm, their frantic relatives began asking fishermen if they had seen them. No one saw either Singh or Sooklal.

A report was made to the Coast Guard and relatives began searching the Gulf for the two men.

Singh’s body was spotted around 6 pm and retrieved by the fishermen involved in the search. Yesterday, crews in eight fishing boats from Felicity continued the search for Sooklal.

Sooklal’s relatives believe he survived the boat accident and urged the Coast Guard not to give up the search for him. One relative described the sea as Sooklal’s “second home.”

The father of four spent all his spare time fishing and was described as a very good swimmer with a sound knowledge of the sea. Relatives gathered at his Cassie Drive, Felicity home yesterday to await his return. They all agreed that he was a survivor and there was no way that he would give up the fight to stay alive.

While Sooklal’s family waited in hope, Singh’s wife Dhanrajie Chateram was in mourning. She said Singh, 68, also loved the sea and was fond of fishing.

She never thought that when he left home on Monday that it would be the last time she would see him alive. Singh, also a father of four, was described as a good husband and caring father who was loved by those who knew him.

Investigations are continuing.