A call was made to the Coast Guard yesterday for help in evacuating the crew from a rig that was experiencing mechanical problems in the Gulf of Paria. Eyewitnesses said it began to lean to one side. An emergency call was placed to the T&T Coast Guard requesting assistance and possible evacuation of the crew. But after responding, the T&T Coast Guard was commended for the response and told that all was well on board the rig, since repairs had already started.
The incident occurred shortly before 3 pm, some two and a half miles south-east of Escolon Point, Gaspar Grande Island, in T&T waters. Up to late yesterday, mechanical engineers aboard the rig named Aban Pearl were conducting repairs to a flotation device.
Sources at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries confirmed there were no Trinidadian aboard the rig.
According to Public Relations Officer at the T&T Coast Guard Lt Kirk Jean Baptiste, the T&T Coast Guard received a distress call from the rig around 2.45 pm. "The Coast Guard received a call that one of the flotation devices on the rig was taking in water which caused the rig to lean on one side," he said. Sources said it belonged to an Indian company, but was registered in Singapore. They said it was not working, but just passing through T&T waters. Rigs are normally moved with the help of other boats.