More than a week after the fishing vessel ST VINCENT VII vanished off the coast of French Guiana, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries says search and rescue operations remain a national priority.
In a media release issued Tuesday, the Ministry confirmed it “continues to closely monitor the search” for the vessel, registered as TT033040 (IMO 8781973), and reiterated that the government “remains deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of all persons aboard.”
According to the Ministry, the Fisheries Division first learned of trouble on July 14, when reports began circulating of a video that appeared to show a fire aboard the vessel. Notably, officials say no distress report had been filed by the vessel’s operator at that point the alarm was raised through unofficial channels before any formal notification reached authorities.
Family members have since provided additional detail to local media, saying the vessel caught fire around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, July 13, while operating in waters near the maritime borders of Suriname and French Guiana. The boat, they say, has been without power or communication ever since, leaving it adrift at the mercy of ocean currents and wind.
The ST VINCENT VII, owned by Renata Enterprises Limited, had departed Chaguaramas on July 6 on a yellowfin tuna fishing trip. Its six-man crew includes four Trinidad and Tobago nationals, one Vincentian national, and a Guyanese captain, Eshwar “Shanie” Persaud. One of the missing Trinidadian crew members has been identified as Shannon “Joey” Mohammed.
Once the report reached the Ministry, a broader response was activated. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and authorities in French Guiana were contacted, along with CARICOM IMPACS, while the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard was deployed to carry out aerial searches. Neighbouring countries were also alerted and asked to assist.
The government says the response has since grown into a coordinated, multi-agency effort involving: The Ministry of Defence, which continues to lead maritime and aerial search operations through the Coast Guard and Air Guard. The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, which is liaising with counterparts in Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil to strengthen regional coordination and The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, coordinating on behalf of the fishing sector.
In its release, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries directly addressed the crew’s relatives, extending “heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the families, relatives and loved ones of the crew” and acknowledging “the profound anxiety they are experiencing as they await news of their loved ones.”
The Ministry says the search remains “a matter of priority” and has committed to providing further updates “as verified information becomes available.”