Damaged boat removed by TEMA, DIQE

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

A badly damaged and sinking boat, said to have been leaking diesel at Swallows Beach, Pigeon Point Road has been pulled out of the water by the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Environment (DIQE).

The vessel was damaged on Sunday by Tropical Storm Karen but was left unattended.

On Thursday, TEMA, through its Facebook page, revealed the vessel had ran aground near Bago’s beach bar.

TEMA advised sea bathers and all other people with marine interest to exercise caution in that area.

Newsday spoke with owner of the nearby Bago’s beach bar, Shirley Cooke, who confirmed that the vessel ran aground in the wake of Tropical Storm Karen.

“TEMA and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), they are on it. They came down a couple times and assessed the situation and they would have the necessary equipment necessary to remove the vessel,” she said adding that she was hopeful that the vessel would have been removed by Friday, for the latest.

Cooke said business was open as normal and the vessel did not hamper sales.

“It did not affect the business. Sea bathers were wary to go into the water with the vessel there but it has not affected the business,” she said.

Environment Secretary Kwesi DesVignes said on Thursday he was unaware of the situation but promised to look into it.

The area of the beach was temporarily closed for near three hours to facilitate the cleaning of the spilled diesel and debris from the damaged vessel.

Contacted for comment, Lorraine Barrow, Officer-in-Charge, Information Centre Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) said she too was unaware of the situation but promised to investigate.