MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Astonishment over missing fishermen in Falklands waters.
Sea King helicopter from 78 Squadron RAF have been involved in the search Acting Chief of Police in the Falkland Islands, Inspector Len McGill, told Mercopress on Tuesday, that he had no reason to believe that two crewmen who had jumped from a Taiwanese jigger in Berkeley Sound had suffered mistreatment or physical abuse.
According to a press release issued on May 7th by Marine Officer, Captain Jon Clark, at 8.30 am on Saturday 5th of May 2007, the Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Department received a report from a local shipping agency to the effect that two men were missing from the Taiwanese jigger Shiuh Dah Mingwhich was anchored in Berkeley Sound 0.8 miles North North East of Strikeoff Point. A search was organised utilising two launches and a Sea King helicopter from 78 Squadron RAF, based at Mount Pleasant. A land search of the shoreline was also carried out by elements of the Royal Falkland Islands Police (RFIP) and the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF). According to the Fisheries department release, the search was finally called off at 3pm, when both men, identified as being from Bangladesh, were still missing and presumed drowned. A lifejacket matching the pattern of those provided on the jigger had been found by one of the launches nearly a mile east of the ship's anchor position. On Sunday 6th May, the Shiuh Dah Mingcame alongside the floating dock in Stanley harbour to permit the crew to assist the Police with their enquiries. According to Inspector McGill of the RFIP, the captain of the vessel was extremely cooperative and afforded every opportunity for police officers to talk freely to crewmembers. While officers heard complaints about the quality of the food on board the ship and long working hours, there was no evidence of physical abuse or mistreatment and no such allegations were made. While some of the six remaining Bangladeshi crewmen on board complained that the length of shifts and the working conditions made difficult the performance their daily religious obligations as Muslims, they were, said Inspector McGill, "astonished" when it was discovered at the beginning of their shift that their colleagues were no longer on board. After the police investigation, the Shiuh Dah Ming, which is not licensed to fish in the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone, but had come into Berkeley Sound from the high seas to tranship its cargo of frozen squid, was released without charges being laid.John Fowler (Mercopress) Stanley
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