With independence, not even a year in, the hopes of the families of 39 Jamaicans and one Australian were dashed when a multi-pronged search for a fishing boat brought to life the real nightmare of losing loved ones. The story in July of 1963 grabbed international attention and The Gleaner was there for each harrowing moment.

Published July 5, 1963

40 MISSING ON FISHING BOAT

• 39 Jamaicans, Australian skipper on 63-foot vessel

• ‘Snowboy’ not heard from since Monday night

Forty men, all but one of them, Jamaicans, are missing on a fishing trip in the 63-foot boat ‘Snowboy’ from Kingston to Walton Bank, off the Western tip of Jamaica, since Tuesday July 2. The five crewman and 35 fishermen left Zero Processing Pier in Kingston Harbour around 6:00 pm on Monday, July 1 and were expected to reach its destination within eight hours, have not been seen or heard from since 10:00 am, when, by radio, the ‘Snowboy’ reported that all was well.

Continuous search by aircraft from the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay and by helicopters from the American aircraft carrier WASP, now in the port of Kingston, failed to bring news of the missing boat and the men.

The Snowboy is an ex-US Air-Sea Rescue boat, 63 feet long, about 35 tons deadweight, powered by diesel engine and having a draught of about five feet. It was owned by Mr Bob Brayman who lives in Miami, and when it left from Zero Processing Pier, it had not formally entered Kingston Harbour and so underwent no registration formalities whatsoever. This was the first trip being made by the Snowboy from Kingston, it had been for some time, operating out of Montego Bay.

The boat was under charter to Mr Byron Hill of Kingston and the fishermen who were taken on for the trip are from Treasure Beach, Bluefields, Barnes Beach and other points in Western Parishes, with some from Kingston. A former officer of the Royal Australian Navy, L.G. O’Toole was captain of the Snowboy on the voyage.

At 10:00 pm on Monday, July 1, Mr Mark Robinson, mate of the fishing boat, Maribean, listening in at Zero Processing Pier, heard the Snowboy reporting by radio to another vessel the Beatrica, that all was well, and they hoped to make the Cays by 3:00 am on Tuesday, July 2. Nothing has since been seen or heard of the Snowboy.

Up to 3 months

Security people questioned on July 5, as to whether they thought the Snowboy was on a straight fishing trip said there was no reason to think that it was not.

The Gleaner was told by operators in the industry that on a fishing trip of the kind the Snowboy was making, the boat would carry a number of fishermen to the Cays.

The men would make a base on the cays, remaining there for up to three months. They would fish on the banks around, 'and load the fish onto the ‘mother boat' which would return to port when she had a full cargo, about every four days.

He said that the Snowboy had on board six drums of fresh water, nine drums of fuel oil and food for the fishermen for about 30 days. This food was in addition to food for the crew which would last for about eight days.

The Snowboy was equipped with a two-way radio with a radius of 800 miles and carried one lifeboat, and 28 lifebelts and life jackets.

The longest stretch of time that a fishing boat would stay at sea was six days in rough weather. One operator Mr Mark Robinson added, but once he had been adrift for 15 days before they were rescued.

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