7 News Belize

Deepening Worry For Man Missing At Sea
posted (October 28, 2010)
It's been four days since Hurricane Richard hit Belize and destroyed the boat Belize City Fishermen Barrington Gomes and Edmund Forte and watchman Arturo Gilharry were in.

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.

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