Five people remain missing after two boats collided in waters off the northwestern peninsula of Trinidad and Tobago.
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The incident occurred on the evening of Sunday, November 8, when a 28-foot vessel named Bambaleo collided with a 29-foot Chantelle boat named Belbagai.
According to reports, Bambaleo was traveling east near Point Cannings when it struck Belbagai, which was heading west.
The impact caused extensive damage to both vessels, sending several passengers into the water and causing Belbagai to sink.
Five Missing Following Boat Crash in Trinidad and Tobago
Reports indicate that 18 people were aboard Bambaleo at the time of the collision, with authorities subsequently accounting for everyone on the vessel.
Rescue teams also pulled nine people from Belbagai to safety, while six passengers required medical attention for injuries described as "non-life-threatening".
Emergency personnel transported six people to St. James Medical Complex, while rescuers brought other survivors ashore at Staubles Bay.
As of Monday evening, November 9, five people remained hospitalized, with medical staff having discharged one patient.
However, five people from Belbagai remain unaccounted for, including a reported 17-year-old girl.
The Hunter Search and Rescue Team and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard have continued searching the surrounding waters for the missing passengers.
In a statement released Monday, the Coast Guard confirmed that rescue teams had yet to locate the five individuals.
"The Search and Rescue operation remains ongoing, with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard continuing to coordinate efforts alongside its partner agencies to locate the persons who remain unaccounted for," the statement reads.
Authorities Launch Investigation as Search for Missing Passengers Continues
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Maritime Services Division of the Ministry of Works have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Meanwhile, Coast Guard representatives met with relatives of the missing passengers on Monday evening to provide updates on the ongoing rescue operation.
"The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard wishes to assure the public that the operation remains ongoing and that every effort is being made to locate the missing persons," the statement adds.
Officials also confirmed that search teams had received no verified sightings of the missing passengers as of Monday evening.
The Coast Guard concluded by explaining that authorities would release further information as soon as they could verify new developments in the investigation and rescue efforts.
