SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – Relatives, friends and the employer of six fishermen who disappeared while on a trip to the western Caribbean last weekend are expecting the worst following news that articles believed to have come from the missing boat have been found floating in Honduran waters.

Victor Vassell, the owner of the missing fishing boat, Cross Tide, told the Sunday Observer late yesterday that he had earlier received news that a “white igloo” packed with meat, seasoning and Red Stripe Beer was found by a Honduran fishing boat five days ago.

Vassell said there were also reports that another Honduran vessel reported finding life vests and rubbery “life rings” (worn around the waist) floating in the water.

The boat owner said the description of the cooler and its contents as well as the life-saving devices fitted that of articles which were on the boat when it left Black River.

“Everybody was hoping that maybe they (fishermen) had gotten into trouble and were drifting, but when we hear this news about the things floating in the water, we have to think that most likely the boat sink,” Vassell said.

He said he had reported the latest information to the authorities.

A JDF Coastguard spokesman told the Sunday Observer that a search had so far borne no fruit. “The case is still open and the search is continuing but we have found no trace,” he said.

He said checks with neighbouring authorities including the Honduran government had also proved fruitless.

The search was launched after the six – including five Jamaicans and a Honduran – who had left Black River on Thursday, January 15 on a two-week fishing trip, – failed to make contact with the boat owner last weekend as had been arranged.

The six missing fishermen have been named as Wayne Dowdie, 39, Kirk Lindo, 37, Tommy Gordon, 26, Desmond Gordon, 39, Colin Lynch, 35 all of St Elizabeth; and Gilbert Mujim, a Honduran national who was the designated captain of the Cross Tide.