Venezuelan migrant and child dead after pirogue overturns off Los Iros Beach; two missing

A Venezuelan migrant man and a six-year-old girl are dead after a pirogue carrying about 30 people capsized off Los Iros Beach during an illegal sea crossing to Venezuela. At least two other adults remain missing, authorities said.

The vessel struck a rock shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday while approaching the beach, causing it to overturn and throw its occupants into the sea. Investigators said many of those onboard managed to climb back into the pirogue, which then left the area.

Around 2 p.m., the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard recovered the body of an adult male floating offshore and brought it to shore. The Air Support Unit later conducted drone searches along the Los Iros coastline from 4:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., covering an area from two kilometres east of Taparo Point to two kilometres west of Los Iros Beach.

During the search, officers discovered a partially soaked red suitcase that had washed ashore. It contained men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, along with a framed photograph of three females, believed to belong to passengers on the vessel.

Search operations resumed Thursday morning with assistance from the Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT), led by Vallence Rambharat. The tragedy highlights the perilous journeys migrants undertake in the region.