Move to beef up sea patrols
Aftermath of LNG tanker robbery.
Move to beef up sea patrols
In a bid to curb sea robberies, Minister of Transport Stephen Cadiz assured that security measures will be soon put in place to secure the Gulf of Paria. Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday in a telephone interview, Cadiz said he intends to meet with the National Security Minister Gary Griffith on the issue. He was responding to questions raised concerning the robbery onboard the LPG tanker Virgo Gas, which took place on June 29.
The Peruvian captain and his crew members were all viciously attacked. Some were beaten, chopped and tied up, while others were shot and wounded. They were rescued by the Coast Guard and taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for treatment. Eight to ten men boarded the ship from three small fishing vessels. They were said to have been armed with machetes, knives, one pistol and pieces of wood.
The incident was reported in the T&T Guardian on July 1, but a story posted on the Web site gcaptain.com on Monday went viral on Tuesday. That story erroneously reported the attack as having taken place on July 10. Cadiz said the ship had been anchored about two nautical miles off Port-of-Spain, in the Gulf. “It was anchored and waiting to pick up load. I am not sure as to its destination, but it was waiting when its crew was robbed,” he said.
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Source: guardian.co.tt
