The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is investigating a mysterious incident after an unidentified vessel carrying the remains of five people was spotted off the south-eastern coast of Trinidad.
Efforts to tow the vessel to shore were thwarted when it was lost at sea and presumed sunk.
The sighting was reported around 2.22 pm on Saturday, near the Cassia platform, 57km from the coast.
A patrol boat was dispatched and, with help from nearby vessels, located the deteriorating boat. Despite challenging conditions, a towline was secured at 12.45 am on Sunday.
However, rough Atlantic Ocean conditions caused the towline to detach around 4 am, east of Mayaro. The vessel vanished and extensive searches over the following six hours failed to relocate it.
The Coast Guard stated that the vessel resembled another found off Tobago in May 2021, suspected to have drifted from West Africa with migrants. Given these similarities, the Coast Guard suggests a possible connection.
The TTCG urges anyone with information or sightings of the vessel or debris to contact their headquarters at 868-224-3324. Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic discovery.
