Boat search suspended

Relatives of persons on a 20-foot speedboat, which left the Southern Grenadine Island of Canouan last Sunday, are still hoping that their loved ones would be found alive. However, their optimism may be fading. Up to last Wednesday, ten days after the vessel failed to make it to land; there was nothing encouraging. {{more}}

The craft departed the Southern Grenadine island of Canouan around 5:50 p.m. Sunday, March 27, expected to arrive at Bequia, in less than an hour. The first sign that something was amiss came around seven that evening when the crew contacted relatives by telephone that the boat had run out of fuel.

They estimated their position as three miles south of Ramay, an island off Bequia. When families returned the call, the boat gave its location as ten miles away. Since, then there has been no subsequent contact.

A massive search operation was mounted from Monday, March 28, including a 2,000 square mile zone by an aircraft from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast guard.

The disappearance of the boat has left a void with residents in Bequia, Canouan, Carriacou and Grenada.

Searches continued at a community level from last Wednesday 6 when Coast Guard Commander David Robin announced that the effort had been suspended.

Those on board are Wilfred Ollivierre, 35, captain, his son Keron John, 15, and Nigel DeRoche, a 27-year-old water taxi operator of Canouan.

Four others on the 20-foot speedboat are Lystra Lambert, Gertrude Compton, and Calvin Patterson from Carriacou, as well as George Steele (Grenada).