The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

HAROLD Fitzgerald was expected home before the end of Christmas.

Instead, his family wants help over his disappearance at sea.

His stepson, Kortney Cartwright, told The Tribune the fisherman went to catch conch and crawfish on Christmas Day morning with Tenille Russell, an Andros native. But no one has heard from the pair since. The men, Mr Cartwright said, were expected to return by 6pm on the holiday.

He said Mr Fitzgerald was last seen leaving Lowe Sound, Andros, for the Northwest Channel Light at 8pm on a 25ft white open hull Mako, single engine 200 HP.

“A caring husband, father, uncle and friend to many has been missing since Christmas Day,” he wrote on Facebook. He said Mr Fitzgerald is a pastor who regularly goes on fishing trips.

The family has faith the missing men will be returned safely.

“We are firmly grounded by our Christian ideologies, always have been in, we find comfort in that,” Mr Cartwright said.

“My mom is a praying woman and we are going to keep trusting in God. Now is not the time to doubt him.”

A spokesman for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force said the organisation is searching for the men. The RBDF did not release a statement on the matter up to press time.