Piracy attack survivor recalls ordeal
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
PORT MORESBY: The lone survivor of the Jan 13 piracy attack in
Madang’s Tabali Point says he has lost all his passengers and does not know
where they are.
Ismiel Simea, 20, from Madang’s Raicoast, was the
skipper of a 40hp 23-foot boat that was held up by six armed pirates.
The pirates took off with their boat and their
belongings after they were forced to jump into the sea.
Read on Simea’s recount of the terrifying nightmare, as published by The National:
Skipper remembers ordeal at sea
February 1, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
By SYLVESTER WEMURU
THE lone survivor of the sea piracy attack on Jan 13 at Madang’s Tabali
Point says he has lost all his passengers and does not know where they are now.
Ismiel Simea, 20, from Madang’s Raicoast, was the skipper of the 23-ft boat
with 40 horse power engine that was held up by six armed men in the open sea.
The pirates took off with their boat and their belongings after they were
forced to jumped into the sea.
Simea recalled that it was at around 3pm when he left Madang town with seven
passengers for Saidor.
He said while they were travelling towards Tabali Point, they saw another 23ft
boat, also with a 40-horse powered engine, some distance away signalling them
to stop.
It was about 5pm.
Simea said when the boat approached them, he saw a fat man with beard while the
others were masked.
“I told my passengers that the men were pirates and told them to lie on the
floorboard of the boat as I tried to take us away from the pirates,” he said.
“I tried to speed away but the load on my boat made it too heavy.
“So they (pirates) came over to my boat.
“I tried my best and called for help but no one came to help.
“When their boat went on top of my boat, the six pirates ordered us to jump
into the sea.
“Three of the pirates boarded my boat while the other three went on their boat.
“My friends and I, all men, joined hands and tried to find our way to get to
shore.
“While we were struggling for some hours, the wind became stronger and the sea
level began to rise and the tide separated us.
“We were swept away in different directions but I knew that if I followed the
tide, I would not make it ashore, so I swam against the tide.
“I’m not sure how my passengers went.
“I tried my best to swim ashore but as the sun set and the moon appeared, I
couldn’t swim anymore.
“I was still out in the open sea.
“As I watched the sunset, I was feeling very weak and I just prayed that help
would come.
“While floating, I heard the sound of a boat coming my way.
“Too weak to shout anymore, I just prayed that this was the boat that would
come to help me.
“The boat approached me and on that boat was a doctor.
“When they saw me, they helped me and the doctor helped me to Basamuk where he
told the health workers to attend to me.”
Simea said early Saturday morning, policemen from Madang were informed about
the incident and went to Basamuk to take him to Modilon Hospital for treatment.
He thanked God and everyone who helped ensure that he was safe and alive.
Madang commander acting Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said one body was found on
Jan 15 at sea at Pik Island by the locals and the body was at the Modilon
Hospital mortuary.
He said the deceased was identified as Pang Labi, 17, from Yemis, who was doing
his grade 7 at Saidor Primary School, as confirmed by relatives.
He said the others still missing were identified as:
- CLIFFORD Buniaweing, 30,
from Tarawai Island in East Sepik;
- KASKIN Supera, 47, from Sor
Village, Saidor;
- SIMON, 48, from Siwit
village, Saidor;
- MAI Nafa-Tipang, a primary
school teacher from Nayudo;
- PASTOR Martin Honeringhu,
48, from Sevan village Naiyudo;
- JOHN Hetaningke, 29, a Grade
11 student from Saidor Seconary from Sevan village; and,
- TEXAS Gamarak, 34, from
Gorowa village.
Rubiang said this was one of the
worst act of sea piracy that he had heard of while working as a commander.
According Nayudo local level government president Senuka Kaku, people from his
electorate and his office had been out at sea looking for their missing group.
He said despite their unsuccessful attempts, their search will continue.
Meanwhile, Rubiang also added that there was another at of piracy at Ramu River
where four bodies had been recovered and police were yet to confirm the
location of the survivors.
“I want the public to help the police and report those who are involved in such
activities,” he said.
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