Gareth Davis, Gleaner WriterPORTLAND: A UNITED States Coast Guard yesterday escorted 151 Hondurian fishermen ashore in Portland after they were found six miles off the Jamaican coast, and handed them over to local authorities, who took them to Portland.
The fishermen and their 55-foot fishing boat, Mr. Martin, were taken to the Ken Wright Shipping Pier at about 12:00 a.m. Friday by the local coast guard, after they were handed over by U.S. securities. The fishermen were later transferred to the nearby Boundbrook Wharf, in Port Antonio.
Hartnell Brown, operations officer for the Portland Police, indicated that the U.S. coast guard escorted the fishermen into Jamaica's water and handed them over, after their vessel was deemed unsafe, overcrowded and unseaworthy.
"We learnt through an interpreter, who came aboard the Hondurian vessel, that not all the 151 men aboard are the vessel are crew members", he said. "The interpreter also told us that they had picked up a distress signal from another vessel, which had developed mechanical problem and a rescue attempt was made and 68 persons were evacuated".
NO SANITARY CONVENIENCE
Mr. Brown said that no charges will be laid against the fishermen as they had not violated any laws. He also noted that a thorough search was conducted on the vessel by police personnel, but they came up empty-handed.
"It is obvious that this was a prepared fishing trip. All safety mechanism are in place and also they are stocked with large quantities of food items to adequately feed all 151 people that are now onboard", Mr. Brown added.
But while the police may have been searching for illegal substances, they probably made the most important and alarming discovery. No sanitary convenience is on the vessel, which forced the police to implement makeshift plans by providing the fishermen with two bathrooms.
"We managed to source for them two bathrooms here, at the Boundbrook wharf, to be used by them during their stay. At present, we are awaiting personnels from the Maritime Institute, who upon their arrival will conduct an inspection on the boat to determine if it is safe and sea-worthy. It is critical as this will determine if they will be able to make the return trip with this many people back to their homeland", Mr. Brown further stated.
