00:00According to a media release from the Coast Guard this morning, at approximately 2.22
00:06p.m. on Saturday, 25 January 2025, its operations room received a report regarding the sighting
00:13of an unidentified vessel near the Cassia platform.
00:17A patrol boat was dispatched to the area and successfully located the vessel with assistance
00:23from nearby boats.
00:25The Coast Guard says the vessel appeared to contain the remains of five unidentified individuals.
00:31The cause of death of these individuals is unknown.
00:35The release states that at approximately 12.45 a.m. on Sunday, 26 January 2025, the crew
00:42of the patrol boat managed to secure a towline to the vessel, but this proved challenging
00:49due to the vessel's deteriorated state.
00:52The patrol boat then managed to start towing the vessel towards mainland Trinidad, but
00:57according to the Coast Guard, at approximately 4 a.m. in an area east of Me'aru, the towline
01:03separated from the vessel and that was the last they saw of it, despite carrying out
01:09an extensive search of the area.
01:11They presume that the vessel sank due to its severely deteriorated state and the prevailing
01:17sea conditions.
01:19The Coast Guard notes that the vessel's construction bears a striking resemblance to a boat found
01:25off the coast of Tobago in May 2021, which had reportedly drifted from West Africa with
01:31migrants on board.
01:33The Coast Guard states in its media release that based on these similarities, it is reasonable
01:39to assume that the circumstances surrounding this case may be of a similar nature.
01:45It wants anyone sighting the vessel or related debris to report it to the Coast Guard Headquarters
01:52at 868-224-3324.
01:56Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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