Emergency responders and fisherfolk joined forces on Wednesday in search of two Tobago fishermen who were reported missing at sea. TTT News was on site at Pigeon Point where relatives and other fishermen lined the sea front hoping to receive good news.
Albert “BB” James and Junior “Flehbeh” Thorne went out to sea from Pigeon Point on Tuesday around 6am aboard a white and blue open-top fiberglass pirogue registration TFT 1528 XENA to set three fish pots. However, they did not return at around 9:30am as is customary. Fellow fisherman Martineau Roberts told TTT News he alerted fishermen about 2pm but by the time they arrived nightfall made the search plans challenging.
“So we put all plans for today. We come together we buy gas, refreshments and we supply some of the boats and also we had other boats from other parts of Tobago like Scarborough, Speyide, Castara, Charlotteville, Bloody Bay all these places were looking out today for us.”
It has been confirmed that the fishermen do not have marine radios onboard, and both of their mobile phones were left ashore. The Tobago Emergency Management Agency, Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Fisheries Department and the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association were notified.
“The last mileage we heard they were at was like about 26 miles away from Tobago down into the west. We got that information about the evening period of yesterday”
Approximately 5 fishing vessels went out in search. Renwick Thom, a member of the Scarborough fishing community said when he received the news about his colleague he readily jumped on board the mission. He said the poor conditions at sea posed serious problems for his crew.
“They gave us coordinates. I went to the first coordinate and I didn’t see anything there. The water was really rough and windy out there so water coming over the boat and then I left to go in a next area miles down the road and that is where I normally know he does set pots in that area to look for him but I didn’t see anything there and I leave and came back up half way I went in all the spots and I didn’t see no boats nothing at all.”
The fishermen hope additional support would be provided to intensify their search.
“We done understand that tomorrow the search will not be a boat search anymore we have to do air. Everything have to go by air so we asking the airguard, coast guard and maybe pilots that flying to look out for these guys and also we still may have a boat in case.”
The wife of Mr. Albert James, who was too distraught to speak with the media, explained his vessel was out of commission on maintenance for several months and he only returned to sea on Sunday. He has been involved in the fishing industry for over fifty years.