Coast Guard steps up search for missing divers

Members of the T&T Coast Guard have heightened their search for two men who went missing after diving for lobsters at Crown Point, Tobago. The men, identified as Learmond Chapmaund and Delano Benjamin, have been reported missing since Tuesday. Public relations officer for the T&T Coast Guard, Lieutenant Kirk Jean-Baptiste, said yesterday the men were diving in an area called “Flying Reef”, off Crown Point. He said the Coast Guard received information around 1.30 pm on Tuesday and immediately dispatched a vessel, CG 21, from Staubles Bay to assist in the search.

It was reported the men made two dives for lobsters but on their third did not resurface. They were using a vessel named Alicain. Also assisting in the search were members of the Special Anti-crime Unit of T&T (Sautt) and the Air Guard. Jean-Baptiste said all efforts were being made to find the men. He said the men were diving in a reef were there were “small caves.” He said because of the caves, it might be difficult to locate them if they had, in fact, drowned. He said scuba diving equipment was found in the area where they went missing.