(CMR) A nine-month-old Venezuelan baby boy was killed during a high-speed chase involving the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard on Saturday, 5 February.
The child was on board a migrant boat which reportedly attempted to ram the Coast Guard vessel. The officers fired at the vessel’s engines in self-defense after it was repeatedly ordered to stop and it attempted to ram the Coast Guard vessel.
“The vessel eventually stopped and only then it was discovered that there were illegal migrants on board who had remained hidden and were therefore not seen before,” according to the Coast Guard. The mother then told officers she was bleeding and the baby “was found to be unresponsive.”
The mother was taken to hospital for treatment; however, the child died before being treated.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley expressed sympathy following the death of the child.
In a statement he says he has spoken with the Vice President of Venezuela and conveyed his country’s deepest sympathy to the family and wider Venezuelan community.
“I just spoke to the Vice President of the Government of Venezuela. I conveyed our deepest sympathy to the family and wider Venezuelan community at this time of grief over the loss of life of the young child, at sea, during security operations involving TT Coast Guard and traffickers transporting illicit entrants,” he said.
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