Cocaine washes up near Tobago oil-wreck

The abandoned barge soon after it was found (Office of the Chief Secretary)
The abandoned barge soon after it was found (Office of the Chief Secretary)

A bag containing more than 1kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of around £400,000, has washed up onto a Tobago beach near the Gulfstream barge wreck, from which oil started spilling into the Caribbean Sea on 7 February.

Police at the popular island dive-destination reported that the shrink-wrapped drugs had been discovered on 18 February in the course of clean-up efforts in the Canoe Bay area on the south-west coast. 

No official connection was made between the cocaine and the barge wreck, but it was suggested that the high levels of official activity along Tobago’s coast as clean-up operations continued could be making it difficult for drug-runners to make scheduled collections of smuggled narcotics packages.

Trinidad & Tobago lies along one of the world‘s major “cocaine corridors”, between the Andean regions of South America where most of the drug is produced, and markets in the USA and Europe.

The wreck as the oil barrier was being erected. Cocaine has now been found on a nearby beach (Office of the Chief Secretary)
The wreck as the oil barrier was being erected (Office of the Chief Secretary)

The Gulfstream barge overturned and was dragged close to shore by tides on 7 February, though no emergency calls had been picked up before it sank, and there were no signs of life in the vicinity. 

The subsequent oil-spill has affected some 15km of Tobago’s southern coastline between Canoe Bay and the capital Scarborough to the east. A national emergency was declared on 11 February and the clean-up has involved large numbers of volunteers. 

A barrier was erected around the wreck in an effort to contain what was described as an “oil-like substance”, thought to be a fuel oil or marine diesel.

However, trying to pinpoint and plug the leak without knowing how much fuel the barge contained was said to have proved challenging. 

Barrier around the barge wreck (TEMA)
Barrier around the barge wreck (TEMA)

The threat level has however remained at Tier 2, which does not require international assistance to be sought.

Dive-sites unaffected

Tobago’s well-known dive-sites to the west and north-east are reported to have remained unaffected by the spill.

“Thankfully, none of the popular beaches to the west such as Store Bay or Pigeon Point have been affected and the Buccoo Marine Park has been spared,” commented Philip Robinson, head of the Tobago Tourism Agency. “Also unaffected are the major dive-sites around the island.” 

These sites are mainly around Speyside in the north-east, while popular wreck the Maverick and other dive-sites lie further round to the west, north of Buccoo. 

However part of the slick has been reported to have entered the waters of another important Caribbean dive-destination, Grenada, some 140km to the north-west.

Satellite imagery has shown that the oil initially moved south and south-west of Tobago towards South America before shifting in Grenada’s direction.

Clean-up operations on Tobago’s south coast (TEMA)
Clean-up operations on Tobago’s south coast, much of which is now reported by the government to have been cleared of oil (TEMA)

Tobago and Grenada’s emergency management agencies have been in contact to monitor the situation, with the Trinidad & Tobago Air Guard monitoring the slick’s progress from the air.

There have been no reports of oil reaching Grenada’s shores, its National Disaster Management Agency reported on 18 February, but it said that it was remaining vigilant because its progress depended on weather and sea conditions. 

The barge, identified from submerged markings as Gulfstream by scuba divers working to plug the leak, is thought to have been under tow by a tugboat that has since disappeared. 

Tobago’s Ministry of National Security has said that a suspected vessel, identified (though unconfirmed) as the 11m Tanzania-registered Solo Creed, had left Aruba on 4 February, drawing a barge and thought to be heading east to Guyana, which would take it past Tobago.

Also unconfirmed is that the barge was carrying 5,000 tonnes of fuel.

Also on Divernet: Hunt for phone signal led to Mauritius oil-spill, Puerto Galera's dive-sites given all-clear, Slow response as Solomons oil-slick spreads, Divers confirm Galapagos diesel spill stemmed, Coke-smuggling probe: a tale of 3 divers

@timpell49
#AskMark Mark great video love your content I recently had my cylinder hydro tested it was filled with air how long can you keep the air in the cylinder before you use it .Also dive shop can drain the air and fill with nitrox?
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@timpell49
#AskMark Mark great video love your content I recently had my cylinder hydro tested it was filled with air how long can you keep the air in the cylinder before you use it .Also dive shop can drain the air and fill with nitrox?
#scuba #scubadiving #scubadiver

Become a fan: https://www.scubadivermag.com/join

GEAR PURCHASES: https://www.scubadivermag.com/affiliate/dive-gear

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Website: https://www.godivingshow.com ➡️ The Only Dive Show in the United Kingdom
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YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS41ODI2RjhGOTVBODI2NDE5

How Long Can You Keep Air in a Cylinder? #AskMark #scubadiving

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00:00 Introduction
01:35 Scuba.com Ad
02:35 Duikvaker
03:15 EUDI
04:23 DRT
05:04 GO Diving Show UK
06:24 ADEX OZTek
07:06 Mediterranean
07:34 ADEX
08:21 TDEX
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09:36 MIDE
10:06 GO Diving ANZ
11:09 Diving Talks
11:58 DEMA

Full List of Dive Shows with Links:
https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/your-worldwide-dive-show-guide-for-2025/

JANUARY 18-26: Boot Düsseldorf (International Boat Show)
FEBRUARY 1-2: Duikvaker
FEBRUARY 21-23: European Dive Show (EUDI)
FEBRUARY 21-23: Diving Resort Travel (DRT) Show, Malaysia
MARCH 1-2: GO Diving Show (The UK Dive Show)
MARCH 15-16: ADEX Ocean Festival / OZTek Australia
MARCH 28-30: Mediterranean Diving Show
APRIL 4-6: Asia Dive Expo (ADEX)
MAY 22-25: Thailand Dive Expo (TDEX)
MAY 31 – JUNE 1: Scuba Show
JUNE 13-15: Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE)
SEPTEMBER 6-7: GO Diving ANZ Show
OCTOBER 17-19: Diving Talks
NOVEMBER 11-14: DEMA Show

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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training or recommendations for every manufacturer. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor or specific requirements from equipment manufacturers.
00:00 Introduction
01:35 Scuba.com Ad
02:35 Duikvaker
03:15 EUDI
04:23 DRT
05:04 GO Diving Show UK
06:24 ADEX OZTek
07:06 Mediterranean
07:34 ADEX
08:21 TDEX
08:51 Scuba Show
09:36 MIDE
10:06 GO Diving ANZ
11:09 Diving Talks
11:58 DEMA

YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS43OTNDNTk0OUNGMDA1MUNG

Upcoming Dive Shows in 2025 #scubadiving #diveshow

US diver Barrington Scott has set a verified Guinness World Record for the fastest time to scuba dive across all seven continents.Cartagena City Council says it is preparing to tighten access to the Cueva del Agua (Water Cave) system in southern Spain, following the death of a 37-year-old female diver there on 18 January. And an underwater habitat builder has just extended the record for longest time spent submerged. 

https://divernet.com/scuba-news/scuba-dash-across-7-continents-brings-world-record/
https://divernet.com/scuba-news/health-safety/spanish-cave-divers-death-prompts-calls-for-controls/ 
https://www.kentucky.com/news/nation-world/national/article299289964.html
https://divernet.com/scuba-news/pod-builder-completes-120-days-under-sea/

#scuba #scubadiving #scubadiver

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Website: https://www.scubadivermag.com ➡️ Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Scuba Gear Reviews
Website: https://www.divernet.com ➡️ Scuba News, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Travel Reports
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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training or recommendations for every manufacturer. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor or specific requirements from equipment manufacturers.

US diver Barrington Scott has set a verified Guinness World Record for the fastest time to scuba dive across all seven continents.Cartagena City Council says it is preparing to tighten access to the Cueva del Agua (Water Cave) system in southern Spain, following the death of a 37-year-old female diver there on 18 January. And an underwater habitat builder has just extended the record for longest time spent submerged.

https://divernet.com/scuba-news/scuba-dash-across-7-continents-brings-world-record/
https://divernet.com/scuba-news/health-safety/spanish-cave-divers-death-prompts-calls-for-controls/
https://www.kentucky.com/news/nation-world/national/article299289964.html
https://divernet.com/scuba-news/pod-builder-completes-120-days-under-sea/

#scuba #scubadiving #scubadiver

Become a fan: https://www.scubadivermag.com/join

GEAR PURCHASES: https://www.scubadivermag.com/affiliate/dive-gear

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OUR WEBSITES

Website: https://www.scubadivermag.com ➡️ Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Scuba Gear Reviews
Website: https://www.divernet.com ➡️ Scuba News, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Travel Reports
Website: https://www.godivingshow.com ➡️ The Only Dive Show in the United Kingdom
Website: https://www.rorkmedia.com ➡️ For advertising within our brands
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/scubadivermag
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We partner with https://www.scuba.com and https://www.mikesdivestore.com for all your gear essentials. Consider using the affiliate link above to support the channel.

The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training or recommendations for every manufacturer. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor or specific requirements from equipment manufacturers.

YouTube Video UEw2X2VCMS1KYWdWbXFQSGV1YW84WVRHb2pFNkl3WlRSZS4yNkZBOTQyMkYxQkQyMzc2

Spanish Cave Closed After Fatality #scuba #podcast #news

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