Fisherman Sooknanan’s body found

Eighteen-year-old Orange Valley fisherman Hemraj Alex Sooknanan, whose body was discovered on Monday evening floating just off the Erin coast, has been described by his grieving father, Harry Sooknanan as an “angel” who loved the sea. Sooknanan was one of seven fishermen who were brutally attacked and thrown into the Gulf of Paria by pirates who stole their fishing vessels and boat engines on July 22.

Five bodies, including Sooknanan’s, have been recovered. Interviewed at his Orange Valley home yesterday, the elder Sooknanan lamented that his son, as well as the other fishermen, could have been saved had the Coast Guard provided air support during the early morning hours of Tuesday.

“I like what the Coast Guard did, I appreciate their help but what I didn’t like, they didn’t assist we when we ask for the assistance. In the morning we ask them for the assistance to come out from 6 o’clock to 7 o’ clock and they woulda find everybody. They would have find five of them alive, two of them where they were brutally stabbed – well, we know they may have passed away, but they woulda find them other five alive.

“The Coast Guard supposed to come out and give we one hour, just one hour the fisherman was asking for them come out. But instead they came at 5 o’clock in the evening.”

“Is seven little life allyuh neglect. They didn’t robbing nobody, they went outside looking for an honest dollar. Them don’t trouble nobody, they don’t lime…so what you telling the youths now: don’t work hard, take a gun and rob people?”

He said one fisherman, Justin Kissoon, 19, had gone out to fish so that he would be able to make enough money to go back to school.