Identity of rescued men not known – coastguard official

It is still not known if four men rescued in the northern Caribbean last Sunday are the four who left St Vincent almost two weeks ago, and had been reported missing.{{more}}

According to information received from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Coastguard, four men — two Vincentians and two Antiguans — left these shores on the vessel “Prosperity” for Antigua on January 12.

“But that is unconfirmed because up to now no one has come forward to give a formal report; the information was received, but no one has come forward to make a formal report to the Coastguard or any of the police stations,” Lieutenant Deon Henry of the Coast Guard told SEARCHLIGHT.

According to Henry, the local authorities received an email from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Martinique on January 16, indicating that a brother of one of the men who lives in England had called in to say that the men had encountered some engine trouble and that they were drifting off the coast of Montserrat.

That call was made on January 14, Henry said, and the authorities in Martinique had written to inquire about any local vessel being overdue.

There were no reported vessels being overdue; however, based upon some local investigations, they received information that a vessel had left the state with four on board.

On January 21, local Coastguard officials again received correspondence, this time from the officials in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who indicated that four men were rescued on Sunday, January 20 by a passing vessel.

They were subsequently checked by the doctor on that boat and were being taken to St Croix.

“That was the last piece of information we received,” Lt Henry said.

He added that the Puerto Rican authorities did not disclose the location where the men were rescued.

He said it was difficult to determine if they were the same four who reportedly had encountered problems days earlier.

“Until then, we cannot report if it was the same four men who were overdue,” Henry said.(DD)