Guardia Nacional finds missing Trinis off Venezuela coast

A group people who went missing during a fishing trip on Friday were found this morning by Venezuelan authorities.
 

T&T Coast Guard Communications Officer, Lt Cmdr Kirk Jean-Baptiste, said the missing group of about ten people were spotted by Guardia Nacional off Los Mensajes, north of the Venezuelan mainland. The matter is being dealt with by Foreign Affairs ministry and the Venezuelan embassy.

The Guardian understands that the cargo was being inspected and that once the crew is cleared, they will be given fuel and escorted to the border.

Jean-Baptiste said the group had left the waterfront along the old Marabella trainline aboard the pirogue “Davi Ann” PFZ 94. Among those on the vessel were Forestry Division worker Christina Maharaj, 28, her neighbours Hendy Scott, 55, and Keston Moraine, 42, all of the Bayshore Avenue, Marabella.

There were various reports of the incident. Relatives of one of the women said that around 12.30 pm Saturday, the pirogue carrying seven people left Maracas to go to Tobago and the pirogue disappeared between the islands.

Another report said that the vessel left Marabella at 4.30 pm Friday with eight people and stalled off Maracas Bay. It was fixed and left Maracas Bay at 9 pm to go to Pigeon Point, Tobago.

Yet another report said the boat ran out of gas and was seen floating off Tobago early Saturday. 
 

However, searches by both Coast Guard and Air Guard turned up empty in that area.