Grenada, SVG at odds over seized vessel
On Friday evening July 10, 2026, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coastguard intercepted the Grenada registered vessel, MV Pathfinder, off the coast of the Myreau, and the matter generated questions.
Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday morning, July 15, 2026, Comptroller of Customs and Excise Selwyn DaSilva, said: “It was an interception that took place because of intelligence received by customs, and the customs solicited the assistance of the coast guard.
“We got intel that it is a vessel of interest…that we should keep an eye out for”.
The MV Pathfinder is a vessel on the radar of CARICOM IMPACS JRCC, the regional grouping responsible to track vessels coming into and going out of the region.
The interception of the MV Pathfinder has since sparked legal concerns and questions regarding jurisdiction and compliance with International Maritime Law, from Grenadian attorney, Anslem Clouden.
In a letter addressed to Grenada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Andel, dated July 13, 2026, Clouden alleged that the MV Parthfinder was intercepted while exercising what he described as its rights of innocent passage through the territorial waters of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and the actions of the coast guard were unlawful, and in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea.
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