Fisherman still missing at sea

barrington gomez

On Tuesday, we reported on the incredible story of the survival and endurance of Edmund Forte who was caught in the eye of Hurricane Richard on Sunday. He along with Arturo Gilharry and Barrington Gomez set out to sea from the Conchshell Bay area on October twenty-first. They were heading to the Blue Field Range when the violent waters caused their vessel to capsize. Forte swam for miles and made it to Spanish Look-Out Caye where he was rescued and brought to shore early Tuesday morning. Gilharry was not so fortunate and his body was recovered on Wednesday. The third fisherman, Gomez has still not been found and a search by the coast guard is now winding down. News Five’s Isani Cayetano today caught up with Gomez’s family and has this report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The search for twenty-five year old Barrington Gomez, a fisherman who went missing near Bluefield Range twenty miles southwest of Belize City, remains grim.  Gomez along with two others identified as thirty-three year old Edmund Forte and sixty-four year old Arturo Gilharry were returning from a fishing camp on the small island when the boat they were traveling in experienced engine failure.  The strong winds and downpour that accompanied Hurricane Richard on Sunday evening caused their vessel to capsize.  Since then two of his crew members have been located; Edmund Forte alive and Arturo Gilharry dead.  Brenda Barcelona, mother of the missing fisherman, fears the worst.

Brenda Barcelona, Mother of Barrington Gomez

“The Coast Guard they’re still out there, the Maritime Wing they’re still out there every day from since he disappeared and they’re still looking at this moment.”

The hunt for Gomez; however, as of tomorrow remains a call that the commandant of the Belize National Coast Guard will have to take.  According to Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis it is customary for the department to search for missing persons within a five-day period.  That window elapses on Friday.  The boat’s captain Edmund Forte is believed to be the only survivor of that ordeal.

Lt. Greg Soberanis, Belize National Coast Guard (File October 27^th, 2010)

lt. greg soberanis

“All three individuals were onboard the vessel just prior to the hurricane hitting Belize. This was approximately between three and four Sunday evening. The vessel was tied and anchored off some mangrove in the area of Blue Field range and it had capsized. They were trying to stay together, however he decided that he would swim north towards Spanish Caye. He lost track of the other two individuals, but he was able to make it there at that location at around just eight this morning.”

Gomez’s mother last spoke with her son on Sunday morning a few minutes prior to their departure from the island.

brenda barcelona

Brenda Barcelona

“I called him and I speak to him and he told me that he was on his way back to Belize. He even tell me not to tell his girlfriend, Neomi that he is coming home and that’s the last voice I heard from him.”

Isani Cayetano

“How long was he out at camp for?”

Brenda Barcelona

“I guess two weeks because it was last Thursday that he went and then he was going to come this Friday home. But apparently the storm caught them and I guess that’s what happened.”

On Tuesday afternoon the body of Arturo Gilharry was recovered and returned to Belize City where a post mortem examination was later conducted.

Edmund Forte

edmund forte

“My belief, I don’t think those guys can make it.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

We don’t know if Gomez will be located, but we do not that there are two deaths so far associated with the ferocious storm.