Chester Sambrano
Lead Editor-Newsgathering
chester.sambrano@guardian.co.tt
Two Tobago fishermen defied the odds, surviving four harrowing days stranded at sea in what many are calling a ‘miracle’.
Albert “BB” James and Junior “Flehbeh” Thorne disappeared after leaving Pigeon Point Fish Port early Tuesday morning to set three fish pots at an undisclosed location.
But what began as a routine trip quickly turned into a life-threatening ordeal when their boat engine failed, leaving them powerless and drifting into the ocean.
As hours turned into days and the men did not return home, desperate family members sounded the alarm, triggering a search effort led by the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). The search included fishermen and several agencies, among them the Coast Guard, Air Guard, and North Post Radio.
As days passed, hope faded for worried families, concerned friends, and colleagues. On Friday, rescuers even considered shifting their efforts from a search-and-rescue mission to a recovery operation.
However, as TEMA Director Allan Stewart told Guardian Media yesterday, there was no sign of boat debris or any other solid information indicating the worst outcome had been realised, so they kept searching.
Yesterday morning, prayers were answered as the men were spotted by another fisherman in an area commonly used to set pots. According to Stewart, that was James and Thorne’s plan—knowing that at some point other fishermen would venture to the area, they tied their incapacitated vessel to the pots to prevent drifting away.
Their only other concerns were the lack of food and water and braving the weather.
As they were ushered to shore, scores of happy onlookers were on hand to welcome them.
Stewart said, “This successful story is one that could be referred to as Peter from the Bible, who walked on water. It’s a miracle at sea, and therefore, we thank those who were involved in the search this morning (yesterday). We wish both men well and hope they recover nicely.”
Later in the day, Secretary for Health, Wellness, and Social Protection Dr Faith Brebnor confirmed, “They were brought into the Accident & Emergency Department, Scarborough General Hospital, at approximately 11:25 am and were immediately attended to. Both men are receiving treatment for dehydration but are stable and in good spirits. Further testing and observation are ongoing. Recovery so far is good and without complication.”
The family members, who spent days clinging to hope, were relieved and grateful for the safe return of their loved ones. However, they were too distraught to say anything further to Guardian Media when contacted.
Now that the story has ended positively, there is hope that such an incident does not occur again. The TEMA director took the opportunity to make an appeal for a greater focus on safety in the fishing industry.
“At this stage, we need to do better where safety at sea is concerned. Just as you have regulations on the roadway, if I am to fly a drone, I have to talk to Civil Aviation. The same should apply to a person going out to sea or plying their trade as a fisherman. They need to ensure that they are properly regulated, and therefore, safety at sea should not be left up to a fisherman to decide whether or not he or she should adhere to those measures.”
He likened it to fines and charges being issued for people driving cars without seatbelts or taking a defective vehicle on the roadway.
“The authorities now need to turn their attention, from a government point of view, to ensure that this sector is properly governed and managed,” he said.
He referred to making it mandatory for fishermen to have equipment such as GPS, VHF (Very High Frequency) radios, life jackets and flares when venturing out to sea.
There is some agreement from the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA) that more needs to be done to ensure safety and security.
President Curtis Douglas told Guardian Media that while an investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the incident involving two of his members, he is certain that the use of GPS radios, in particular, would have been very helpful in the search.
“All fishermen in Tobago should have a tracking device,” he said.
However, Douglas wants the Government to play a part in subsidising the purchase of the devices for the fishermen.
“Let’s ensure that every single boat of fisherfolk that goes out has a tracking device so that they can be located—one, for security reasons, and two, for health and safety reasons. We call upon the Government to ensure that this is enforced.”
