Cynthia Busuttil
Marsaxlokk awaits news about young Teo
An eerie silence still shrouds the village of Marsaxlokk, almost two weeks since a sea tragedy claimed the lives of two of their own and the search continues for 11-year-old Teo Bugeja.
Incredulous fishermen sat in small groups, discussing the events of the past 12 days, which saw the search for four fishermen and the boy tear at the hearts of those who knew them.
While Simon Bugeja, the owner of the ill-fated Simshar, recovers in hospital, his colleagues talk about those who lost their lives at sea - Simon's 61-year-old father Karmenu, 33-year-old Noel Carabott and 21-year-old Somali Abdulrahman Abdala Gedi.
Teo's fate is still unknown although his father told rescuers the boy died last Friday and then drowned.
Karmenu's brother-in-law, Joseph Gafà, can still hear the shrieks of joy and wild applause that reverberated through the usually quiet fishing village last Friday evening, when the news broke that Simon had been found alive and that he was accompanied by his young son.
The news changed shortly after: it was Simon, his face covered in a reddish beard, who had been found alive, a week after his boat was due to return to Malta after a five-day fishing trip.
Sitting on a bench, metres away from the mirror-like water covered with fishing boats, Mr Gafà fights to hold back tears. "It's very cruel. He's just an innocent 11-year-old," he says.
Simon, who will celebrate his 35th birthday on Friday, was a "son of the sea", who spent his childhood sailing out on his grandfather's boat, later joining his father on fishing expeditions.
His son must have inherited the sea-loving gene and also loved the waters of Marsaxlokk. "But I used to tell Simon to push him to focus on school. Because the life of a fisherman is a difficult one, without any respect for time or dates. Whenever the weather is good, you go out. You cannot even plan to watch a football match," Mr Gafà says in a trembling voice.
Joe Incorvaja has known Karmenu since they were both children, playing together in the streets of Marsaxlokk.
"He was a fisherman like me. We were just like siblings," Mr Incorvaja says.
He describes his old friend as "gutsy and nervous" but with a big heart who went out to fish for the love of it and often gave his catch to orphanages.
"I can still hear It-Tabakku (Karmenu's nickname) joking with me, a cap on his head and a cigar dangling from his lips. It was heart-wrenching to hear that he was found dead."
The two have shared their fair share of misadventures and once had to follow a bigger boat to cover them from the raging waters. "When the catch is good, you forget about the weather, thinking that this is your chance of catching some fish."
The fisherman says he would have been the first to take to the water in search of his friend and the others if he had the means. "Four eyes are always better than two. Whenever we lost something at sea, we'd always wake up whoever was asleep to help us look for it," he says, adding that the authorities at first advised them not to go out for fear of disrupting their search.
Karmenu's last thoughts were of his wife of many years. Mr Gafà recounts how shortly before he died, Karmenu removed his wedding ring and asked his son to give it to his wife.
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Peter Bonnici
Jul 25th 2008, 21:09
@Hayes, Grieving is often followed by anger ,and anger raises questions. I would not be questioning if I wasn't angry, and I am angry because I grieved previously.
In the course of my work I see people in constant disregard of health and safety regulations. Accidents do happen, but they are, more often than not, totally avoidable, and I have no reason to believe that the Simshar Tragedy was any different.
I'm certain that Theo's mum will eventually do the same, but of course her grieving is still far from over, and my heart goes out to her no end.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 25th 2008, 02:58
@Hayes - unless the miracle you're hoping for is one in which people are raised from the dead, there is no hope at all of finding the boy alive. Even if he were alive when he drifted off, there is no way on earth than an 11-year-old child can survive floating in open sea without food, water or sleep for two weeks. Common sense should tell you that, if not basic understanding of human biology. And Simon Bugeja was VERY clear when he said that his son had died. We have no reason to doubt him. So be realistic, please. You can rest assured that the boy's mother isn't hoping for anything but the body. I assume she believes her husband, even if you don't. Mincing words and false delicacy never helped anyone or anything, and they are particularly out of place in news reports.
c.hayes
Jul 24th 2008, 01:35
what is wrong with you two!?!
A mother is waiting anxiously for news on her innocent 11 year old child and a father has lost his own father and 2 other crew members,these men have gone through hell and back and back again what ever happened on that sad day is dread full let alone saddening
The story might have changed but come on have you two ever heard of just showing some kind of sympathy, I check on a daily basis if not an hourly basis to see if there's any news on poor Theo
I really do hope that the story is wrong and they do find Theo alive, to conclude this rant
may the people that lost their lives rest in peace and to the families that lost their loved ones may i offer my deepest condolences i cannot begin to imagine what you are going through
Peter Bonnici
Jul 23rd 2008, 19:46
So first it was an explosion that destroyed the Simshar, but that story / theory could not hold, so it became a six-hour or so fire instead. And from an explosion that threw all to sea, it was the crew themselves that took the plunge whilst making a makeshift raft.
The story has changed too drastically in just a couple of days. A loud bang was mentioned initially, followed by an explosion. Which of the 2 versions is correct?
Assuming that a flame engulfed the Simshar, is it pertinent to ask where the flares were?
And if in the dead of night a huge blaze occurs at sea, is it possible that no other vessel spots it.?
Can someone explain how a fishing boat could locate a floating person, when SAR aircraft could not? Did the Grecale have more information on the whereabouts of the missing persons than did the AFM?
The Times (Sat 19) reports that the bodies and the sole survivor were picked up some 30 miles away from the scene of the explosion. So does that mean that we know exactly were the boat sank? Now that in itself would answer many burning questions.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Jul 23rd 2008, 16:35
"Teo's fate is still unknown although his father told rescuers the boy died last Friday and then drowned."
What on earth does this sentence mean? Surely it isn't being suggested that Simon Bugeja lied when he said that his son died. If not, then we DO know Teo's fate; it isn't unknown: the boy is dead. He died of starvation, dehydration and exposure to the elements and his body is lost at sea. His father was very clear in explaining that he did NOT drown, that he was already dead and that it was his corpse that slipped into the water and drifted off after he had clung to it for hours. What else is there to know? The search is on for a corpse and not for a living person, and the reason why it is being sought is that the parents need to bury it before they can have any form of closure on the horrible death of their son.