Fisherman rescued at sea, more feared dead

edmund forte

There is an amazing story of endurance and survival to report tonight, but which ended in tragedy. It’s about three fishermen who were heading back to shore as hurricane Richard approached Belize. Their boat capsized in the violent waters about twenty miles in the Blue Range area. One was rescued alive this morning by the Coast Guard; he swam for miles and prayed for every stroke that took him closer to shore.  But this afternoon, the Coast Guard found the body the second fisherman; Richard’s first fatality. A third fisherman is still missing.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano has been following this remarkable story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A massive rescue and recovery effort led by the Belize National Coastguard is currently underway as patrol crafts have been deployed to an area of the Caribbean Sea known as Bluefield Range which is located approximately twenty miles southeast of Belize City.  Personnel are combing the area in search of two missing fishermen who disappeared when the vessel they were traveling in capsized as hurricane Richard battered the coast on Sunday.  Amidst their attempt is an amazing tale of survival as thirty-three year old Edmund Forte, an experienced local fisherman from Belize City, found himself face to face with death in the vast expanse of our territorial waters.

Edmund Forte, Rescued Fisherman

“We were leaving from camp Sunday morning when it was calm with two engines, a forty horsepower and a twenty-five Evinrude and before can even reach English Caye channel the boat engine shut down, you know.  They refused to start so me and the one Barrington Gomez we hold a little piece of canvas sailing back to Bluefield but we didn’t make it.”

The violent waves that came crashing ashore during the category one hurricane had upended their boat tossing sixty-four year old Arturo Gilharry, twenty-five year old Barrington Gomez and Forte overboard.

Edmund Forte

“From Sunday afternoon I am swimming until this morning bredda.  I swim from behind Bluefield to Spanish Bay and that’s where the coastguard come and pick me up from.”

That’s a geographic distance of almost nine miles; a feat that by any stretch of the imagination is virtually impossible.  Forte was rescued this morning after a coastguard team dispatched to the area received a distress call from someone who spotted him afloat near Spanish Caye.

lt. greg soberanis

Lt. Greg Soberanis, Belize National Coast Guard

“An individual called stating that there was a gentleman who was drifting in the water and as a result he called the coastguard for assistance.  [Uhm] we had assets out there already.  We immediately redirected our assets to that location to get an assessment of what was going on and thereafter we found out that it was one of the individuals who were reported missing the day prior.”

Forte’s will to survive and his unwavering faith saw him through the thirty-six hour ordeal despite almost surrendering to physical exhaustion.

Edmund Forte

“At one moment I wanted to give up but then thinking about my two partners I just couldn’t give up.  I just keep praying to the Lord that send me something that I can hold on to and he sent me a piece of one-by-four about twelve feet long and that’s what got me alive up to today brother because if it wasn’t because of that I think I would just get tired and give up and just went lay down at the bottom of the sea.”

And authorities fear that the remaining two seafarers may have suffered that demise.  Today members of the Coast Guard and the BDF held a short briefing to identify potential areas where they may need to expand their search radius.

Lt. Greg Soberanis

“One of our vessels have located the submerged vessel that these gentlemen were on.  So that vessel has been found.  It was secured, handed over to the Port Authority.  So that is squared away.  Our search efforts continue in locating these two individuals who are unaccounted for at this time.  Currently we have three coastguard assets out there given different sectors, different search areas commencing or undergoing searching as we speak.  We have also coordinated with the BDF Air Wing to conduct an aerial search of the area.”

Manuela Pacheco, sister of Arturo Gilharry, told News Five that she learned of her missing sibling earlier this morning from a fellow fisherman but believes that he is safe wherever he is.

manuela pacheco

Manuela Pacheco, Sister of Arturo Gilharry

“Maybe ih deh hide eena them trees in the sea.  Maybe dehn di hide eena di, because all part of the sea have some bush right so I say eena one ah dem deh di wave ker dem and but em if not I say God rest in peace only.”

Earlier this afternoon the body of Arturo Gilharry was recovered from the general area where he went missing.  His boat captain, Mundo, had wanted them to remain adrift together.

Edmund Forte

“I really wanted us to all stay together, you know, at least I know by now I would have them at land with me and not out there not knowing whether my friends are dead or alive, you know.  It’s hard brother, it’s really hard.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.