The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue operations for at least five people missing after two boats collided on Sunday evening. The accident occurred in waters off the northwestern peninsula of Trinidad, the larger of the nation's two main islands.
Crews from the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, a local NGO, assisted authorities in the search efforts on Monday. Preliminary reports from the coast guard indicate that several individuals remain unaccounted for.
An eyewitness, boat captain Jonathan Salandy, described the collision, stating that one vessel was thrown into the air, ejecting its occupants into the water. "I saw people just in the water all over," Salandy said in a video statement. He and his crew immediately responded, rescuing survivors and providing life jackets. Some rescued individuals were transported to local hospitals for treatment of injuries, though officials have not yet specified the number of injured.
Relatives and friends of those missing gathered at a nearby beach in Chaguaramas on Monday, awaiting updates from authorities. This area, featuring a chain of smaller islands off the northwestern peninsula, is a popular destination for weekend trips, with small boats frequently used for transport between the mainland and these islands.