Boat found stripped but no sign of 7 missing anglers
Tonight the families of seven men missing at sea since Sunday continue to cling to hope that their loved ones are alive and well. The search took a turn for the worse around eleven this morning when a fisherman reported seeing a vessel fitting the description of the missing boat in the area off Gallows Point. Within the hour, officials confirmed that the submerged skiff was indeed the “Ocean Hopper”. Search crews towed the boat to Ladyville late this afternoon where we saw for ourselves that it had been stripped of its Bimini top and engine, even though the key was still in the ignition. While speculation suggests a robbery, it is not clear whether the looting of the vessel occurred before or after the fishermen disappeared. The find has dampened the spirits of the families since there are no signs of the men themselves. But according to spokesperson Audrey Matura Shepherd, efforts to find out what happened to the fishermen continue around the clock.
Audrey Matura Shepherd, Family Spokesperson
“The families have been very optimistic and positive, but of course as the hours go by and we have passed the next forty-eight hours we’ve become very concerned but nonetheless still optimistic that we can find them. And they have been going through a difficult time, but we have a lot of friends and supporters around assisting so at this point we are all coping and we are still hoping for the best.”
“We have many vessels out there and jet skis, an aerial search still continuing because we think they can be stuck in a mangrove or along the coast, so that’s the point where we are right now. The sun is setting and it seems that we will have to continue tomorrow because up to this point we don’t have any good news so far.”
Janelle Chanona
“Tell us about these men, they were all friends who always went fishing together?”
Audrey Matura Shepherd
“Yes, they have a very strong history and bond of friendship. For example Mr. Escobar and Mr. Quiroz are majority shareholders in AVIS rental and they’ve been good friends and co-workers years ago when they began working at the Radisson Fort George. Mr. Richard Swift, who is a Magistrate, recently returned as a trained attorney at law. He came back into Belize in June qualified and he is now a sitting Magistrate. He has always been friends with Mr. Quiroz and Mr. Escobar. As a matter of fact, he introduced me to them and that’s how I became their friends. Then we have Abner Quiroz, who is the son of Mr. Quiroz; he works here at Avis as one of the rental agents. Then there is Gustave Briceño, a long standing friend. You come here any day and these guys cook food together and they hang out on weekends and take a beer together. You have Mr. Nicholson, who is the accountant at Fort George who has always been a friend of theirs from the days when they were friends at the Fort George, so it’s not unusual for him to go out with the guys like this. And then the youngest one on board is Elon Reyes, who, if you know what goes on here at Avis, they are very friendly and the guys would come and hang out with them, has a long standing friendship as well and it is not unusual for him to hang out with them or even go fishing with them. That’s the kind of bond they have.”
Janelle Chanona
“While the families are hoping for the best, are they preparing for the worst, seeing the condition that the boat was found in?”
Audrey Matura Shepherd
“I think maybe privately we all are, but we cannot reach that point yet. I don’t think any of us have come to terms with that yet. We are still optimistic.”
Supt. Aaron Guzman, O.C. Crimes Investigation Branch
“Not because the police is involved that means it’s a criminal matter. However, we have not ruled out any foul play, so that is why the police is on board. We hope for the best and we stand beside the Coast Guard in support of their search. If anything should change and it becomes a police matter, then we take up the lead role. Mr. Romero, who is the Deputy O.C., C.I.B., will be the pint man for the investigation team.”
John Borland, Executive Officer, National Coast Guard
“At this point there are no indications that we will even think about terminating the search or suspending it. We are out there, I can guarantee you for at least another forty-eight hours fully committed and searching that area and making sure that if these people are there we will find them and return them safely to their families.”
Audrey Matura Shepherd
“We don’t know what happened, we don’t know why the guys are not on board. We know that they have life vests and we are still hoping that they are hanging on out there for us to find them and we’ll increase our efforts and tomorrow we will go out in full force again.”
Those rescue efforts now include armed members of the Belize Defence Force who are scouring the neighbouring cayes in the Gallows Point area. The Ocean Hopper’s engine is a fifty horsepower Mercury bearing serial number 1B003789. Anyone who would like to donate resources to the search or provide investigators with useful information can do so at the hotline 205-2653.
