A father and son survived a terrifying pirate attack in the Gulf of Paria that forced them to spend nearly six hours swimming to shore on Tuesday morning.

Rakesh Deodat, 49, and his son, Renaldo, 24, of Woodland, lost their 28-foot pirogue valued at $35,000, a Yamaha 115-horsepower boat engine valued at $45,000, 275 pounds of fishing net valued at $45,000, cell phones and fishing gear to the pirates.

“I was trembling and crying when I reached land. I was praying and asking God to reach back home,” said Deodat to the Express in an interview on Thursday.