The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL kvirgil@tribunemedia.net ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force officers believe there is a good chance a group of men who went missing at sea while on a fishing trip could still be alive. Lieutenant Commander Nedly Martinborough said the four men's vessels were sighted off the coast of Cay Lobos not far from Cuba on Monday at 8pm. The Mangrove Cay, Andros, residents were reported missing by relatives on Saturday at 11.20am. Defence Force crews are continuing their active search for the two skiffs. Meanwhile, Mr Martinborough said, "The next step is to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make a connection with Cuba to be on the lookout for those vessels." The RBDF has also been in contact with the family, police in Kemps Bay, Andros, and are also co-ordinating search efforts with Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) and the US Coast Guard. When the RBDF received word of the missing crew on Monday, Mr Martinborough said one vessel was dispatched almost immediately to begin the search for the men. "We had other vessels at sea that we sent to search for the men as well," he said. According to family members, Prince Jolly, Allan Wright, Roger Miller and another man known as KK were aboard the Tropic Explorer. That vessel was left near the Fish Cays when the men boarded its two skiffs headed in a west southwest direction. Mrs Rejane Jolley, Prince's mother, said she was doing all she could to remain positive as her son had never gone missing before. "We hope they are together," she said. "They usually stay out for two to three weeks. This is (Prince's) third or fourth time out to sea, but (Wright and Miller) are more experienced. My husband is out there on the big boat looking for them. I'm just trying to stay positive."