Search and rescue on for missing St Vincent crew in Trinidad and Tobago's waters

ALESHA Williams, 50, is praying for the safe return of her common-law husband, Eric Calliste and his four crew mates of the Vincentian -egistered vessel MV Fair Chance which overturned in Trinidad and Tobago waters on Saturday.

Calliste, 50, is Grenadian and Williams is Trinidadian.

In a statement, the Coast Guard said it received a report around 3.40 pm on Saturday that the Fair Chance, with a seven-member crew, had overturned five nautical miles north of Monos Island. The vessel encountered rough seas off the north coast of Trinidad and subsequently overturned because the cargo on boatd had shifted.

The Coast Guard said, “Two of the seven persons on board were rescued by a passing vessel and were handed over to the TTCG (TT Coast Guard) and taken to Staubles Bay where they were medically examined.”

The two rescued crew members were identified as Johnel McIntosh and Derrol Small, of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada respectively.

The Coast Guard added that it “has deployed assets that are currently involved in rescue operations with the subject vessel.” It said it remains dedicated to the continued provision of border security and other services to maintain the safety and security of TT “through the conduct of maritime safety and security patrols within our area of operations as well as any other area in which we are called upon to serve.”

The incident was reported on by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Searchlight newspaper and the Grenada Broadcasting Union. The former’s report confirmed two crew members were rescued but five others remain missing, including the vessel’s captain.

The latter’s report on the incident said the Fair Chance’s captain lived on Union Island in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

A post on Facebook claimed one of the two crew members who was rescued contacted a relative afterwards. Another post on Facebook appeared to be from a relative of one of the crew members. A woman named Alesha Williams said, “My children need their dad.”

Contacted by Newsday, Williams identified herself as Calliste’s common-law wife. She said Calliste was born in St Andrews, Grenada. They have two daughters, Ria, nine, and Renesha, six. Calliste also has four children in Grenada, three boys and a girl.
Williams said  she last spoke with Calliste around 1 pm on Saturday.

“He was by Carrera (Island) Prison going out, when he said he was tired and was going to take a rest.”

She added Calliste had his life jacket with him. Calliste, she continued, told her “how overloaded the vessel was.”

Williams said the last update she received was, “They’re trying to turn over the vessel.”

“I really hope he’s on an island somewhere to be found.”

She also said she knew of another Grenadian national named Devon Celestine.

On Sunday, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the Coast Guard is doing its best to find the missing crew members. Hinds said this was an unfortunate incident at sea.  He described the MV Fair Chance as “a regular cargo vessel that plies between Grenada and Trinidad.” While the vessel is Vincentian-registered, Hinds said he was told the majority of its crew is Grenadian.

The Fair Chance, he continued, was on one of its usual trips to Trinidad when the incident happened.

“The vessel overturned and the Coast Guard upon notification, immediately got involved. Another vessel that was in the area, in accordance with maritime regulations and agreements, also came to their assistance.”

Hinds confirmed that two crew members of the Fair Chance were rescued.

“A search-and-rescue operation immediately continued and continues up to this time as we speak.’

He added that the Fair Chance remains overturned and visible on the surface of the ocean.

“Attempts have been made to tow it into our shorelines so that proper searches of the vessel can be undertaken.”

Hinds said the drift caused by sea currents in the area have caused some challenges to the ongoing search and rescue operations.

“They (Coast Guard) are managing that process as we speak. But the operations continue.”

He reiterated it was unfortunate that the Fair Chance overturned but the Coast Guard “is making every effort to recover the situation and to bring it under "absolute control.”

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said his ministry is providing assistance as well.
Browne said, “I am in communication with both the Minister of National Security and the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines on this matter.”

He added, “The vessel is registered to St Vincent and the Grenadines, and I have been in communication with both Minister Keisal Peters of SVG, and Minister Oliver Joseph of Grenada.”