Coast Guard: Vessel with decomposing bodies off Mayaro coast 'lost'

AN unidentified pirogue with around five dead people which drifted into Trinidad and Tobago waters in the afternoon on January 15 was lost while being towed by the Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard release said a patrol vessel was dispatched on January 25 to intercept the boat. It said around 4 am on January 26 the Coast Guard was attempting to tow the boat to shore when it presumably sank.

"The crew of the Coast Guard patrol boat managed to secure a towline to the vessel. This proved challenging due to the vessel's deteriorated condition. Once the towline was secured, the patrol boat began towing the vessel toward mainland Trinidad. However, at approximately 4.00 am, in an area east of Mayaro, the towline separated from the subject vessel, which subsequently disappeared from view.

"Despite search efforts conducted over the following hours, the vessel could not be located. It is presumed that the vessel sank due to its severely deteriorated state and the prevailing sea conditions."

Despite this, the Coast Guard urged the public to immediately report if they sight any debris or the vessel to 224-3324.

The vessel was spotted shortly before 3 pm by workers on the Cassia offshore platform. The Coast Guard said it contained the remains of five people with an unknown cause of death.

The Coast Guard noted the vessel's construction bore a striking resemblance to the one found off the Tobago coast in May 2021. The vessel had reportedly drifted from West Africa with migrants on board.

Based on these similarities, the Coast Guard said, "It is reasonable to assume that the circumstances surrounding this case may be of a similar nature."