AN urgent appeal has been issued for regional authorities and the maritime community to intensify search-and-rescue efforts for a six-member crew whose vessel caught fire at sea five days ago.A plea has been made to governments, maritime agencies and commercial vessels operating in the waters between Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil to assist in locating the vessel, which has been without power or communication since it caught fire.The crew, four of whom are from Trinidad and Tobago, were on board the vessel St Vincent VII that launched from Chaguaramas on July 6. They are employed as yellowfin tuna fishermen.According to information released by the family of one of the T&T crew members, Shannon “Joey” Mohammed, the vessel caught fire around 6.30 a.m. on July 13, while operating near the maritime borders of Suriname and French Guiana. Since then, there has been no communication or visual confirmation of the vessel or its crew.The vessel is reportedly disabled and without power, and it is believed to be drifting with prevailing winds and ocean currents in waters between Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil.“We are desperately pleading with regional media houses to broadcast this information immediately,” said Amanda Suraj, the wife of Mohammed.“We urgently need intervention from neighbouring maritime assets, passing commercial vessels, and local authorities in French Guiana, Suriname, and Brazil to deploy search-and-rescue teams to the area,” she said.According to information from Suraj, the vessel, owned by Renata Enterprises Ltd, departed the Tardieu Marine yard in Chaguaramas.The six crew members aboard the vessel include four T&T nationals, one Vincentian national and a Guyanese captain Eshwar Persaud, also known as “Shanie”.Suraj, in a phone interview with the Express yesterday, said she has not received any information on the crew’s whereabouts since the vessel’s last reported contact on July 13.She appealed to regional governments, coast guards, maritime authorities and anyone navigating the area to remain vigilant for any sign of the vessel or its crew.Suraj also urged international search-and-rescue agencies to expand efforts in the area where the vessel is believed to be drifting, expressing hope for the rescue of her husband and his fellow crew members.