Acting Minister of National Security Major General (Ret’d) the Honourable Edmund Dillon, M.P. has been in contact with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Trinidad and Tobago upon receiving a report from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard that a pirogue named B/P JHONNALY JOSE (Registration Number: ARSI-CA-0067) was reported to have overturned whilst at sea after leaving Venezuela on April 23, 2019.
Twenty-five (25) persons were listed as passengers on the vessel. The Coast Guard reported that they were told that although four (4) persons were rescued, twenty-one (21) persons are still unaccounted for.
While the last known position of the vessel was East of Patos Island, located within the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre of Venezuela, Minister Dillon has given the assurance that the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard will work closely with its Venezuelan counterpart to assist with the search and rescue operation, in accordance with the Coast Guard’s roles and responsibilities with regard to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR).
Arrangements have already been made for a Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard vessel to aid in the search and rescue operation and for further asset deployments to be coordinated, once required.