Mayaro fisherman's family gets closure with DNA confirmation

More than seven months after the decomposing body of a missing mechanic was found in a mangrove in Venezuela, his funeral is set for Saturday.

Rishi Khemchan, 38, of Grand Lagoon in Mayaro, was last seen alive on January 3, when he left the Guayaguayare Fishing Port with three other men to go on a fishing expedition. Khemchan also worked as a welder. To date, the other men remain unaccounted for.

The body is expected to be taken to the family's home on Saturday, then to a service at the St Peter and St Paul RC Church in Radix Village in Mayaro. The body would be buried at the Radix Cemetery.

The time is yet to be finalised.

On February 11, Khemchan's body was found at the edge of Isla Cocuina in Delta Amacuro State, and Venezuelan authorities took the body. Khemchan's relatives identified him due to the clothing, a cell phone found and his dentures.

A month later, the Coast Guard and relatives collected and returned the body from Venezuela.

On arrival in Trinidad, the body was handed over to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for identity confirmation.

On March 25, relatives provided DNA samples and a few days ago, the results confirmed the deceased to be Khemchan.

His sister, Kavita Khemchan, on Sunday said all documents were finalised at the centre and the body has been released to the family.

"We are thankful because, at least, we got some closure and can try to move forward. We can finally put him to rest now in a send-off that he deserved," Kavita said,

"However, the other families have not had any closure. We want them to get closure as well. No one knows what happened out there at sea. We want to know what went wrong. Every day, fishermen go out there, yet this group just mysteriously disappeared, with one found dead."

She said the community was baffled.

Kavita previously described the wait for the DNA results as "heartbreaking."

The other missing men are boat owner Heeralal "Lenus" Cooblal, 54; boat captain George "Criminal George" Jotis; and Andy "Tallman" George, 40.

Jotis is originally from the Ortoire Village/Manzanilla district and George lived in Guayaguayare.

The 32-foot pirogue (Venom II) the men left in was found off Cedros near Venezuela days after they left the port.

The vessel was towed to Heritage Petroleum Ltd's compound in Point Fortin.