Jamaican fishermen recovering after 36 days lost at sea

On Monday we reported that two of five fishermen from Jamaican had been rescued after they were lost for more than month at sea. Anthony Hibberd and Jason Noble set sail in the Gentle Breeze from the Old Harbor Bay in Jamaica in mid March and were found on Sunday off the coast of Mexico. The boat’s captain and two crew men died on the high seas. There has been a tremendous outpour of support by Belizean and Jamaican authorities in assisting the two survivors to recover fully from their ordeal. They remain hospitalized at the Belize Defense Force Medical Center at Price Barracks.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano has been following this story and today spoke to a high level official from Jamaica about the incident.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The survivors are being assisted by officials from the Immigration Department and as luck would have it travel arrangements are being taken care of for a safe return to their homeland.  The repatriation effort is being led by CEO in Jamaica’s Ministry of Fisheries, Lieutenant Commander Richard Russell.

Richard Russell, CEO Fisheries Division, Jamaica.

richard russel

“I met with them this morning some time a little bit after nine and they are in surprisingly high spirits considering the ordeal which they went through for the past thirty-four days, which they have been adrift. And I must give my congratulations to the Belize Defence Force and the authorities of Belize who are taking very good care of these men. They are in very high spirits.”

Isani Cayetano

“Can you speak to us on what type of assistance is being rendered to these men in order to get back to Jamaica safely?

Richard Russell

“I have personally arranged their flight details. I’m supposed to get their e-tickets anytime now and hopefully they will be leaving Belize on Monday evening and the honorary consular of Jamaica to Belize, Mr. Dejon has arranged for their emergency travel documents which they should have in their possession hopefully sometime tomorrow morning.”

Anthony Hibberd

Both Hibberd and Noble were along with three other men in a fishing vessel when it broke loose from a larger boat it was attached to.  During the thirty-four day nightmare three of the men, including the boat’s captain, perished as Gentle Breeze drifted almost eight hundred nautical miles from Jamaica.

Richard Russell

“Hopefully we should have them out of Belize come Monday evening and back to their families in Jamaica who are eagerly awaiting them. I myself have spoken to their families and the owner of the vessel and they’re looking forward to having them back in Jamaica as fast as possible.”

The men were rescued thirty nautical miles from Chinchorro, Mexico by Caribe Navigator, a shipping vessel, piloted by a Jamaican Steven Spence.  That freightliner was on a weekly cargo delivery to Belize when it encountered the lost fishermen.  Also in Belize are Jamaican soldiers who were participating in Tradewinds 2010 who made sacrifices to help their brethrens.

Richard Russell

jason noble

“When I walked into the medical center this morning at the Belize Defence Force, there was a Jamaican soldier there who opted not to go on the tour at the end of this particular stint of duty. I think they went to the Mayan Ruins and he opted to stay with the two Jamaican fishermen, counseling, guiding and giving them their first solid meal in over thirty-five days.”

Coincidentally, Russell is in Belize on a two-week working visit discussing the impact of over-fishing in Caribbean Waters.  Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.