Bureau of Public Safety Director Norvert Yano said that the search operation for the 47-year-old Antonio Riumd ended Monday night.
He said police personnel and some divers from private firms started searching for Riumd’s body Saturday afternoon after he was reported to have been missing.Yano said during the three days search and rescue operation, they only recovered the victim’s fishing guns, fins, snorkels and eyeglasses.They failed to recover the victim’s body and his “pantoon” a plastic container where the fish or catch should be placed.Yano said a private chopper had joined the search operation to help find the victim’s body but to no avail.He said although police have stopped the search operation, the victim’s family and relatives continued to do the search.Yano said it is their assumption that the victim was trying to get back to the boat before something bad happened to him.Yano said there was an indication that the victim managed to put all his things such as his eyeglasses, snorkels and his fins.The victim managed also to take out his belt but failed to put it on the boat. The belt was found underneath the boat.Yano said the victim could have suffered a stroke or a heart attack while trying to get on the boat.The fisherman was last seen fishing at the inner reef of Ngaremlengui State on Saturday morning.He was with two other male companions.Police said the two companions went to their boat leaving the victim in the waters doing spear fishing.When the two companions returned, the victim could not be found so they started looking for him.When they could not find him, they immediately reported the incident to the police.Police and some members of the community responded and conducted a search operation.
