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The coast guard was in the area already searching for the missing men and courtesy of Aldo Perez we have video of those first few moments at the Hugh Parkey facility - and we also have an interview from Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis at the Coast Guard who told us about the search and rescue. First though, we spoke to Perez this evening:

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"The man was out from his dorey, he had been drifting from since Sunday. They fell off the boat the 3 of them and they got separated. He managed to get all the way to Spanish Lookout Caye where our resort is located. Some of our staff found him stumbling onto the island this morning, we brought him over to a sheltered area and we administered First Aid right away and he was badly dehydrated that when he recovered and told us his story."

Andrea Polanco
"So they got stranded and the 3 of them got separated. How did he manage to make his way to Spanish Lookout Caye?"

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"It is just sheer luck I guess. He said he was just clinging on to a piece of lumber and that's what helped him float but we also noticed he had a wet suit which really helped a lot. We are in the dive industry so we really know a lot about this stuff, you have to have some sort of thermal protection such as a wet suit - that kind of helps you a lot, just to keep you alive - keeps you warm otherwise you just goes into hypothermia and you just die."

Andrea Polanco
"You said its 3 of them. What happened to the rest?"

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"I didn't get the full story but apparently they were fishermen, their boat had problems, they anchored behind Bluefield Range and Sunday evening that's when the storm came in and they fell off the boat one by one, he was the last one to fall off the boat apparently."

Andrea Polanco
"So what's exactly the distance between Bluefield Range and Spanish Lookout Caye?"

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
That's a good guess I would figure somewhere between 6-8 miles. He did say that he noticed a coast guard boat yesterday, he was waving at them but they didn't notice him out on the channel."

Andrea Polanco
"So at this time one of them is still missing, being out there do you guys think that he has chances of survival?"

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"As seasoned fishermen I think they have a good chance of survival because this guy is a strong swimmer but as long as you have the will and if he is equipped with a wet suit because without that he has very little chance of making it."

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Belize Coast Guard
"2 other persons were missing, we got the call yesterday evening just before 4 o' clock, that is when the commandant directed that the search units be deployed to commence searching for these individuals in the Bluefield Range. Under the directions of the commandant additional search units were deployed to cover that entire area, an area of 15 miles by 30 miles and at about 3 o' clock one of the search units have found one of the individuals who was missing."

Andrea Polanco
"So what are the chances of surviving a category 1 hurricane in a small boat?"

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Belize Coast Guard
"Well Mr. Edmond Ford have survive hence the reason why there is the possibility that the individual who is yet to be found may still be alive. So hence we continue with our search efforts."

Andrea Polanco
"At what point will the Coast Guard call off its search efforts?"

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Belize Coast Guard
"That will be a directive from the commandant, until such time we continue with our efforts to try and locate the missing individual."

So tonight, the search continues for one man who is still missing. His name has not been released.

Channel 7

Fisherman rescued at sea, more feared dead

Edmund Forte

There is an amazing story of endurance and survival to report tonight, but which ended in tragedy. It's about three fishermen who were heading back to shore as hurricane Richard approached Belize. Their boat capsized in the violent waters about twenty miles in the Blue Range area. One was rescued alive this morning by the Coast Guard; he swam for miles and prayed for every stroke that took him closer to shore. But this afternoon, the Coast Guard found the body the second fisherman; Richard's first fatality. A third fisherman is still missing. News Five's Isani Cayetano has been following this remarkable story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A massive rescue and recovery effort led by the Belize National Coastguard is currently underway as patrol crafts have been deployed to an area of the Caribbean Sea known as Bluefield Range which is located approximately twenty miles southeast of Belize City. Personnel are combing the area in search of two missing fishermen who disappeared when the vessel they were traveling in capsized as hurricane Richard battered the coast on Sunday. Amidst their attempt is an amazing tale of survival as thirty-three year old Edmund Forte, an experienced local fisherman from Belize City, found himself face to face with death in the vast expanse of our territorial waters.

Edmund Forte, Rescued Fisherman

"We were leaving from camp Sunday morning when it was calm with two engines, a forty horsepower and a twenty-five Evinrude and before can even reach English Caye channel the boat engine shut down, you know. They refused to start so me and the one Barrington Gomez we hold a little piece of canvas sailing back to Bluefield but we didn't make it."

The violent waves that came crashing ashore during the category one hurricane had upended their boat tossing sixty-four year old Arturo Gilharry, twenty-five year old Barrington Gomez and Forte overboard.

Edmund Forte

"From Sunday afternoon I am swimming until this morning bredda. I swim from behind Bluefield to Spanish Bay and that's where the coastguard come and pick me up from."

That's a geographic distance of almost nine miles; a feat that by any stretch of the imagination is virtually impossible. Forte was rescued this morning after a coastguard team dispatched to the area received a distress call from someone who spotted him afloat near Spanish Caye.

Lt. Greg Soberanis

Lt. Greg Soberanis, Belize National Coast Guard

"An individual called stating that there was a gentleman who was drifting in the water and as a result he called the coastguard for assistance. [Uhm] we had assets out there already. We immediately redirected our assets to that location to get an assessment of what was going on and thereafter we found out that it was one of the individuals who were reported missing the day prior."

Forte's will to survive and his unwavering faith saw him through the thirty-six hour ordeal despite almost surrendering to physical exhaustion.

Edmund Forte

"At one moment I wanted to give up but then thinking about my two partners I just couldn't give up. I just keep praying to the Lord that send me something that I can hold on to and he sent me a piece of one-by-four about twelve feet long and that's what got me alive up to today brother because if it wasn't because of that I think I would just get tired and give up and just went lay down at the bottom of the sea."

And authorities fear that the remaining two seafarers may have suffered that demise. Today members of the Coast Guard and the BDF held a short briefing to identify potential areas where they may need to expand their search radius.

Lt. Greg Soberanis

"One of our vessels have located the submerged vessel that these gentlemen were on. So that vessel has been found. It was secured, handed over to the Port Authority. So that is squared away. Our search efforts continue in locating these two individuals who are unaccounted for at this time. Currently we have three coastguard assets out there given different sectors, different search areas commencing or undergoing searching as we speak. We have also coordinated with the BDF Air Wing to conduct an aerial search of the area."

Manuela Pacheco, sister of Arturo Gilharry, told News Five that she learned of her missing sibling earlier this morning from a fellow fisherman but believes that he is safe wherever he is.

Manuela Pacheco

Manuela Pacheco, Sister of Arturo Gilharry

"Maybe ih deh hide eena them trees in the sea. Maybe dehn di hide eena di, because all part of the sea have some bush right so I say eena one ah dem deh di wave ker dem and but em if not I say God rest in peace only."

Earlier this afternoon the body of Arturo Gilharry was recovered from the general area where he went missing. His boat captain, Mundo, had wanted them to remain adrift together.

Edmund Forte

"I really wanted us to all stay together, you know, at least I know by now I would have them at land with me and not out there not knowing whether my friends are dead or alive, you know. It's hard brother, it's really hard."

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

Edmund Forte's Ordeal Up Close

Tonight we revisit his incredible story of survival:

This is the remarkable footage of Edmond Forte safe on dry land after being adrift for two days - tears of desperate joy:

After he had been stabilized and came back to himself, staff at Hugh Parkey gave him dry clothing, helped him put it on and in that short time it was clear this seasoned seaman had gathered his wits about him.

The staff at Hugh Parkey called in the coast guard which was in the area looking for him. They arrived moments later and Fort was helped to the boat - and the first thing he told the coast guard staff was that he wanted to see his family into a hospital bed:

Edmond Forte
"I want to go look for my family boss, I don't want to go to town."

Still, fort went into the boat took a deep gulp of water and a son his way. It is an incredible story of survival:

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"He had been drifting from since Sunday. They fell off the boat the 3 of them and they got separated. He managed to get all the way to Spanish Lookout Caye where our resort is located. Some of our staff found him stumbling onto the island this morning, we brought him over to a sheltered area and we administered First Aid right away and he was badly dehydrated that when he recovered and told us his story."

Andrea Polanco
"So they got stranded and the 3 of them got separated. How did he manage to make his way to Spanish Lookout Caye?"

Aldo Perez, Operations Manager - Hugh Parkey's Belize Adventure
"It is just sheer luck I guess. He said he was just clinging on to a piece of lumber and that's what helped him float but we also noticed he had a wet suit which really helped a lot. We are in the dive industry so we really know a lot about this stuff, you have to have some sort of thermal protection such as a wet suit - that kind of helps you a lot, just to keep you alive - keeps you warm otherwise you just go into hypothermia and you just die."

He drifted six to 8 miles form where the boat turned over to where he was found.

True to the rugged seaman's code - he refused to be hospitalized when the BERT ambulance picked him up in the city and he went about his business.

And while that story is amazing, there is still great worry for one man missing at sea tonight and great grief for the one found yesterday.

He is 64 year old watchman Arturo Gilharry.

At this time the Coast Guard says that the search continues for Barrington Gomes, the third man who was in the boat with Forte and Gilharry.

Channel 7

Deepening Worry For Man Missing At Sea

Forte clung to a scrap of lumber and drifted to dry land two days later, and Gilharry was found dead later that same day. Tonight, the fate of Gomes hangs in the balance and the search continued for him today:

On Tuesday night we told you about the three men who were left stranded around Blue Field Range after their boat failed and were caught in hurricane Richard. Well today, the fisherman Edmund Forte who was lucky enough to survive the ordeal after he was rescued at the Spanish Look Out Caye, was back again in the sea, this time it wasn't to fish but to search for his friend Barrington Gomes, who was with him that Sunday.

As the search continues for 25 year old Barrington Gomes, his mother remains hopeful that her son will be as lucky as Forte and that he'll be rescued soon.

Brenda Barcelona, Mother
"My son Barrington Gomez went missing from Sunday about approximately 10:30. I have call him and I ask where is he and he says mom I am coming, I am on my way home and please tell Naomi my girlfriend that I am coming home, that was the last time I spoke to him on the phone."

Andrea Polanco
"So he was aware that Hurricane Richard was approaching Belize?"

Brenda Barcelona, Mother
"I believe that he was aware of it but the reason I guess they have started out too late because I have call him and I warn him; I said Barry there is a storm coming, what are you doing? You need to come home and that is when he told me that they are on their way home."

Andrea Polanco
"So now he is still missing. The family still hoping that he will be found alive?"

Brenda Barcelona, Mother
"Yes everybody even my little grandson and granddaughter they are hoping and crying because they miss their uncle pretty bad because he is so close to them and he have a new birth just last week, he have a little girl and he was out there talking about his daughter; how much he would do for her when things get better for him."

Andrea Polanco
"So how long has he been out at sea?"

Brenda Barcelona, Mother
"I think he went from last week Monday because he just came to register the baby and went back out."

Andrea Polanco
"So he is a capable swimmer you think?"

Brenda Barcelona, Mother
"I believe he is a capable swimmer and he is a fighter too so in my heart I think he is still out there alive somewhere. I don't know. I would appeal to everyone who would give a helping hand even if they could find him probably alive or just to receive his body. But I am hoping for the best."

While that mother can remain hopeful, the family of the third man wasn't as lucky. On Tuesday the search efforts of the Coast Guard turned up the lifeless body of 64 year old watchman Arturo Gilharry:

Andrea Polanco
"So when he was out there missing all this while, what were you thinking, you figured that he....."

Manuela Gilharry Pacheco, Sister
"I thought that he stayed like those other times and I even say; Sunday night we were talking with the young lady right here, we say good thing the little old man is not here because he would say why are we not sleeping - no hurricane is coming."

Andrea Polanco
"How did the family took the news that he died out there in this hurricane."

Manuela Gilharry Pacheco, Sister
"Well we couldn't communicate because just when we were trying to phone me they didn't get my phone so yesterday they get me from Corozal and they tell me to take care and drink some nerve pills. I had to drink 2 pressure pills and 2 nerve pills because I felt like my head was up. I am still feeling it. They call me to go and identify the body, I didn't want to go and that send me like I was already dead."

The Coast Guard was out again today searching for Gomes, and late this evening Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis said that the search efforts continue tomorrow.

Channel 7

Fisherman still missing at sea

Barrington Gomez

On Tuesday, we reported on the incredible story of the survival and endurance of Edmund Forte who was caught in the eye of Hurricane Richard on Sunday. He along with Arturo Gilharry and Barrington Gomez set out to sea from the Conchshell Bay area on October twenty-first. They were heading to the Blue Field Range when the violent waters caused their vessel to capsize. Forte swam for miles and made it to Spanish Look-Out Caye where he was rescued and brought to shore early Tuesday morning. Gilharry was not so fortunate and his body was recovered on Wednesday. The third fisherman, Gomez has still not been found and a search by the coast guard is now winding down. News Five's Isani Cayetano today caught up with Gomez's family and has this report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The search for twenty-five year old Barrington Gomez, a fisherman who went missing near Bluefield Range twenty miles southwest of Belize City, remains grim. Gomez along with two others identified as thirty-three year old Edmund Forte and sixty-four year old Arturo Gilharry were returning from a fishing camp on the small island when the boat they were traveling in experienced engine failure. The strong winds and downpour that accompanied Hurricane Richard on Sunday evening caused their vessel to capsize. Since then two of his crew members have been located; Edmund Forte alive and Arturo Gilharry dead. Brenda Barcelona, mother of the missing fisherman, fears the worst.

Brenda Barcelona, Mother of Barrington Gomez

"The Coast Guard they're still out there, the Maritime Wing they're still out there every day from since he disappeared and they're still looking at this moment."

The hunt for Gomez; however, as of tomorrow remains a call that the commandant of the Belize National Coast Guard will have to take. According to Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis it is customary for the department to search for missing persons within a five-day period. That window elapses on Friday. The boat's captain Edmund Forte is believed to be the only survivor of that ordeal.

Lt. Greg Soberanis, Belize National Coast Guard (File October 27^th, 2010)

lt. Greg Soberanis

"All three individuals were onboard the vessel just prior to the hurricane hitting Belize. This was approximately between three and four Sunday evening. The vessel was tied and anchored off some mangrove in the area of Blue Field range and it had capsized. They were trying to stay together, however he decided that he would swim north towards Spanish Caye. He lost track of the other two individuals, but he was able to make it there at that location at around just eight this morning."

Gomez's mother last spoke with her son on Sunday morning a few minutes prior to their departure from the island.

Brenda Barcelona

Brenda Barcelona

"I called him and I speak to him and he told me that he was on his way back to Belize. He even tell me not to tell his girlfriend, Neomi that he is coming home and that's the last voice I heard from him."

Isani Cayetano

"How long was he out at camp for?"

Brenda Barcelona

"I guess two weeks because it was last Thursday that he went and then he was going to come this Friday home. But apparently the storm caught them and I guess that's what happened."

On Tuesday afternoon the body of Arturo Gilharry was recovered and returned to Belize City where a post mortem examination was later conducted.

Edmund Forte

Edmund Forte

"My belief, I don't think those guys can make it."

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

We don't know if Gomez will be located, but we do not that there are two deaths so far associated with the ferocious storm.

Channel 5

MAN REMAINS MISSING AT SEA

The search for twenty-five year old Barrington Gomez, a fisherman who went missing near Bluefield Range twenty miles southwest of Belize City, remains dismal. Today, Love News spoke with Lt. Greg Soberanis of the Belize National Coast Guard.

Lt. Greg Soberanis; Belize National Coast Guard 

"Our search units have chromed an area fifteen miles by thirty miles and we have not located the individual who was missing; Mr. Barrington Gomez. The search has been ongoing for the past six days and the commandant has directed that the search now be terminated. We have concluded that the chances for survival are minimal. We have made contact with the family as well as the police department informing them that coast guards should no longer be out there conducting the search efforts. What will happen is that the police will conclude the case and inform the family of what has transpired. They will be the ones that will officially call the case a close case. "

Soberanis advises mariners to pay closer attention to sea condition warnings whenever there is a storm.

Lt. Greg Soberanis

"We always try to advise not only fisherman but also mariners in general to take heed to the warnings that are given over the media, television and radio, and not to take unnecessary risks. If you know there is an impending story or system approaching the country, then make your way inland into safe harbor especially if you know you are not in a large craft and your vessel cannot withstand such weather. We always advise mariners to heed the warning that are provided via the media."

Gomez along with two others identified as thirty-three year old Edmund Forte and sixty-four year old Arturo Gilharry were returning from a fishing camp on the small island when the boat they were traveling in experienced engine failure. Forte was the first to be discovered as he swam for miles and made it to Spanish Look-Out Caye where he was rescued and brought to shore early Tuesday morning of last week. Gilharry was not so fortunate and his body was recovered on Wednesday.