Police on Coastal Alert Over Tobago Carnival Boat Trips, IzzSo Reports

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With Tobago Carnival approaching, demand for inter-island travel has increased. On 27 October, the Maritime Services Division warned travellers against using unauthorised boats as a last-minute alternative to scheduled transport. The warning concerns passenger safety, especially when a vessel has not been inspected or approved for commercial service.

Sources: TTT News, 27 Oct ↗

The division’s director said a commercial passenger vessel should be registered and licensed, carry required safety equipment and hold a valid Passenger Safety Certificate. That certificate covers the vessel and the qualifications of its captain and crew. A small boat’s ability to cross the channel does not establish that it meets those passenger-service requirements.

TTT News also reported that police had seen advertisements for inter-island charters using small craft and had warned promoters and operators against running them without the required approvals. The report says the police cited the Motor Launches Act and possible penalties, but Luk It Hyah has not retrieved the underlying release or checked the exact penalty provision. For travellers, the immediate question is whether the specific boat and crew are approved for commercial passenger transport. The warning does not say that all private boats or all Carnival travel are unsafe.

Sources: TTT News, 27 Oct ↗

In a later Guardian report, Chelsea-Ann Charles of Ocean Vybz with Zariah disputed the timing of the crackdown and said Toco operators had long made the crossing. She said they provided lifejackets and other safety gear, but the newspaper did not establish whether the advertised craft and crew held the required commercial licences. Charles said the planned trips had been paused while operators sought clarity. Police specified licensing, crew competency, capacity, manifests and safety equipment as requirements. The operators’ response adds their perspective; it does not settle compliance for any vessel.

Sources: Trinidad Guardian, 28 Oct ↗

On 29 October, IzzSo reported that police spokesperson ASP Owie Russell said coastal stations were on alert to monitor small craft heading to Tobago for Carnival, with support from the Police Service, the Maritime Unit and the Coast Guard. The reported alert follows the earlier warnings. Luk It Hyah has not obtained the original briefing or independently confirmed the alert. The report does not establish that any particular operator has broken the law.

Sources: IzzSo, 29 Oct, 1:00 p.m. AST ↗