Families of two of the five sailors missing at sea, are hopeful they would still be found alive and rescued, four days after their boat capsized.
Alesha Williams told Newsday she is still holding on to hope that her husband Eric Calliste will be rescued, while Devon Celestine’s wife said she too wishes her husband will be found alive. Celestine however said that as more days pass, with no word, she is growing doubtful. Celestine’s wife asked not to be named.
The two men were among a crew of five on board Vincentian-flagged cargo ship, the MV Fair Chance, which capsized in Trinidad waters while en route to St Vincent on Saturday.
Two men, Johnel McIntosh of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Derrol Small of Grenada, were rescued.
The Coast Guard said it received a report at about 3.40 pm that the Fair Chance had capsized five nautical miles north of Monos Island. The vessel encountered rough seas and subsequently capsized when cargo on board shifted.
Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, Celestine’s wife said her husband is a strong swimmer but she was doubtful he survived, after being at sea for the past four days.
"I wish he will be found alive. I doubt it though, it’s been too long. Four days is too long. If he did swim to one of the islands by now he would have gotten in contact with me."
[caption id="attachment_948401" align="alignnone" width="339"] MISSING AT SEA: Dexter Chance.[/caption]
The two were married in 2013 and have a 13-year-old son. Her 49-year-old husband is the father of two and originally from Grenada. The boat captain is Dexter Chance from St Vincent.
Chance’s mother-in-law Sherma Alexander told Newsday, "I am trying to keep my spirits up." She said fishermen told her that if there were air pockets in the capsized boat, the men could still be alive.
Celestine’s wife added that all three men are good friends and when Chance bought the boat last year he invited them to work with him.
Saturday was the first time Calliste went with them.
Asked if she believed her husband was still alive Williams said: “I believe so. I dreamt him last night. I have to keep my hopes up. I feeling ok, I am just waiting for them to get him, I am holding on to that.”
On Monday, the Coast Guard said it was working on towing the vessel into Trinidad waters after it began drifting towards Venezuela.
The Coast Guard said the plan then, was to take the boat into calmer and shallower waters in the Gulf of Paria so divers could start their search for the sailors. However, there was no new information on Tuesday on the fate of the missing sailors.
The post Relatives of missing sailors conflicted over their survival appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
