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By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE captain of mv Nosy has been declared dead after being missing
forfour days after jumping overboard when pirates attacked his ship in
Milne Bay province, Milne Bay provincial disaster officer Eric Balaria
said yesterday.
“We had a funeral service for him last Saturday at the Mabawoia station
on Fergusson Island in the Esa’ala district after assuming that he was
dead by now after two fruitless days of searching.
“The search party in three dinghies set out from Awaiama village near
Alotau and had search since last Wednesday 9am until 6pm last Friday.”
Mr Balaria said that the captain disappeared after jumping overboard
when five pirates, armed with knives and a home-made gun, suddenly
boarded the ship near Valeta Point and confronted him with four of his
crew at about 11pm last Tuesday.
“Another crew who had jumped overboard with him managed to swim back to
shore and was taken to the station. Both did not receive any injuries
when they jumped overboard.
“We do not know if they were forced by the pirates to jump overboard or
not.”
Mr Balaria said that the 28ft-long work boat owned by Brian Giuda with
about 30 passengers and cargoes was on its way to Alotau after leaving
Mabawoia station.
“It was raining and all the side doors of the boat were closed when the
pirates boarded the ship and forced open the doors.
“A crew member sustained four wounds on his right shoulder and arm
during the confrontation with the pirates.
“The pirates then escaped in a speed boat after robbing the passengers
of their goods and K4,000 in cash.
“The injured crew and his remaining colleague then took control of the
boat and went back to the station.
“The boat was about 5km away from the station when the pirates attacked
them. The pirates must have been monitoring the boat from the shore and
attacked it after it left the station.”
Mr Balaria said that the injured crew was then evacuated on mv Pomio
Queen to Alotau for medical attention last Wednesday and had since been
discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment.
Mr Balaria said that piracy was a problem in Milne Bay waters and police
did not have the resources and funds to combat it.
“This is the third piracy incident this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, another search party is underway for a man from Magavara
village in the Dogura area when he did not return after he went fishing
at about 8am last Friday.
 
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