TT Coast Guard Confirms Two Vessels Involved In Oil Spill Incident Off Tobago

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) has confirmed that at least two vessels were involved in the oil spill incident in Tobago last week.

The Ministry of National Security is collaborating with other local and regional agencies, including Caricom IMPACS, the Guyana Coast Guard, the Maritime Services Division, and IR Consilium, through Consultant Dr. Ian Ralby to identify the vessels and their owners.

Via a media release, the TTCG says investigations have revealed that the vessels appear to have been bound for Guyana. However, the Guyanese authorities have confirmed that neither vessel arrived as anticipated. At this stage, it is not known whether any lives have been lost in the incident.

The TTCG has also confirmed that the barge was being towed by a tug, the Solo Creed, from Panama, destined for Guyana. Satellite imagery shows the Solo Creed towing an object on February 4th 2024.

The TTCG says the National Coastal Surveillance Radar Centre (NCSRC) was able to use this information, to track the tug boat in Trinidad and Tobago waters, towing an object. The NCSRC eventually lost radar contact with both vessels.

As part of the investigation, Caricom IMPACS contacted the authorities in Panama and Aruba, for photographs of the tug boat and the barge. Authorities in Aruba provided images of the tug towing the barge, and these images were used to confirm the identity of both vessels.

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