the goan I network
MARGAO
The three Goan seamen, who were released by the hijackers at Nigeria on Sunday last called on the family members of deceased seamen from Ambelim, Brito D’Silva, who died in captivity as the trio reached home on Saturday.
After handing over Brito’s belongings, including two bags and a cross to the relatives, the three seamen are believed to have narrated their ordeal, right from the time, they were held hostage on December 15, till their release on January 18.
The trio is believed to have confirmed the company’s claim that Brito was taken ill from the mother ship and had not been keeping well since the time they were all held hostage. It was pointed out that the pirates had arranged to put Brito on drips for a day on December 21 before he is believed to have finally breathed his last two days
later on December 23. Britto’s death, sources said, was not immediately conveyed to the other seamen, but was announced days later. The pirates later told the seamen that they buried Brito’s body after performing the last rites.
Narrating their 33-day ordeal to the relatives of the deceased seamen, which began on December 15
before they were all released on January 18, the seamen pointed out that it took around 36 hours to
reach the shore from the mother ship and another 3-5 hours before they were taken to an isolated
jungle on an island, where they had to walk a distance of half a kilometer through marshy land.
At first, they were all accommodated in one tent, before arrangement was made for another tent. There was no illumination around and candles came in handy to lit up the tent at night, before the pirates arranged a generator. Food and water was made available to the 20 seamen, but in restricted quantity.
Sources said the pirates used to allow the Captain and the Chief Officer to make satellite calls to officials of the company back home to demand the ransom amount in exchange for the release of the seamen in captivity.
