All this week, the headlines have been dominated by terrible tragedies - a missing teen murdered, a man who allegedly killed his parents, a husband killed in front of his wife and child, and the list goes on.…
Well tonight, we start the newscast with a bright spot. The Belize Coast Guard saved the lives of 5 males: 4 adults and a 10-year-old boy who were stranded at sea early this morning.
They went on an ill advised fishing trip off the coast of Belize City late last night, but sometime after 2 this morning, they encountered some sort of mishap somewhere between Water Caye and Goff Caye.
It is unclear at this time what happened to the boat they were in, but it reportedly began taking on water, until eventually, all 5 males ended up thrown into the rough waters of the Caribbean Sea. You'll know that the cold front currently makes taking a morning shower without warm water a challenge. So imagine being stranded in the sea for over 7 hours, and you'll have an idea of what these men endured.
Fortunately, the Coast Guard came to their rescue, and 7News was there at around midday when they were brought back to the Belize City mainland. Daniel Ortiz has that story:
Just before midday today, worried family members gathered at the pier of the Coast Guard's Headquarters.
They were there to greet their loved ones, 4 men and a 10-year-old boy, who were lost in the freezing, rough sea for over 7 hours this morning.
It could have been a day filled with tragedy, but fortunately, the Coast Guard rescued all 5 males and brought them home safe.
Reporter
"We understand that one of the missing persons was found in the water, and not on a vessel."
Lt. Roque Canul - Operations Officer, Belize Coast Guard
"All of them were found in the water. I must say it is a huge relief for us."
Martin Pariente - Uncle of Charles Pariente
"We always hear of people getting lost at sea, and getting killed. It doesn't hit you that hard because of the situation Belize is in right now. But, knowing that your nephew was not involved in anything, he was just out fishing. Then, I heard he went missing. Looking at my mom, looking at my sister, who is his mom, the devastation they were going through, it's very difficult."
The rapid response of the Coast Guard ensured that they were rescued. But, they didn't go on a dangerous mission. This outing was supposed to be a leisurely fishing trip, which somehow turned into an ordeal none of these men could have foreseen.
Audberto Pariente - Uncle of Charles Pariente
"I understand, there were 5 persons who left to go fishing, and that is about all I knew until this morning when we got the message."
Lt. Roque Canul - Operations Officer, Belize Coast Guard
"Around 2:30 this morning, we received a distress call, whereby we were informed that a boat had apparently experienced distress in the sea, in the area between Water Caye and Goff Caye. The information is that the boat was taking in water. We immediately deployed our standby crew to the area, and from there on, we commenced searches."
"What was of concern was the area because the area given is a big area. It's an area between Goff Caye and Water Caye. You're talking approximately 3-4 miles in width."
The Coast Guard's concerns about locating them in time were short-lived, and the families of these men can now go back to enjoying their Christmas holidays, instead of spending these next few days worrying about their fates on an unforgiving sea:
Reporter
"It must be a huge relief."
Audberto Pariente - Uncle of Charles Pariente
"Definitely, overwhelming."
The relatives and friends of victims have identified them to us as Christopher Pariente, his friend, Christopher Zheng, Michael Welch Jr., aka "Fire", his 10-year-old son, and a man known as "Chabo". They were all taken to the KHMH for medical check-ups.
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