BODY of Venezuelan Man Washes Ashore After Another Migrant Pirogue Capsizes; Search Continues For Missing Woman

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UPDATE (30/07/26): Relatives of missing female Venezuelan national, Nikol Landaeta, are urging authorities not to end search efforts, insisting she has not been found, despite reports circulating on social media. Landaeta, a mother of two (2) children, reportedly worked at a hotel in Trinidad prior to her disappearance at sea.

Her uncle, Carlos Lanzu, said she had chosen the sea journey as the most affordable way to reunite with her children, who remain in Venezuela. In a social media post, Lanzu denied reports that his niece had been rescued, saying the family has received no official confirmation of her whereabouts or any photographic evidence to support the claims. He added that relatives have checked local Hospitals and with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), but have found no trace of her.

Lanzu also appealed to the public not to spread false information, warning that it could hamper ongoing search efforts. He also stressed that Landaeta had no links to criminal groups and was simply trying to return home to be with her children in Venezuela.

The body of a male Venezuelan national was discovered on the shoreline of Icacos on Saturday afternoon (25th July, 2026) after a pirogue capsized off the Erin coastline early that morning. The deceased has been identified as Julio López. A search is continuing for a female Venezuelan national, identified as Nikol Landaeta, who remains missing at sea following the incident. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Air Guard are currently engaged in both sea and air patrols.


According to the Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT), a pirogue carrying a load of copper from Erin to Venezuela, with two (2) Venezuelan nationals and a Trinidad and Tobago national aboard, capsized around 6:00 AM on Saturday, just off the Erin coastline. The Captain, a Trinidad and Tobago national, and another male and female held on to the fuel tank and began drifting. 

The Captain, at some time, left the two (2) others with the fuel tank and began swimming. He eventually came ashore near Constance Beach in Icacos and told residents of the incident before leaving the area. 

On Saturday afternoon, Cedros Police Officers were alerted to the presence of a body on the shoreline of Icacos. Police Officers, together with the Coast Guard and members of the Defence Force, responded to the scene and determined that it appeared to be the body of a male Venezuelan national. 

The HSRT was told by the Venezuelan Migrant Community that his name is Julio López.

Members of the HSRT, led by Captain Vallence Rambharat, were later joined by Police Officers, Coast Guard and Defence Force personnel and conducted searches from 9:00 PM on Saturday night to 4:00 AM this morning (Sunday 26th July, 2026) along the shoreline of the South-West Peninsula, in an attempt to locate the missing female, Nikol Landaeta. However, Landaeta has not yet been located.

Earlier information suggesting that Landaeta had safely made it ashore was inaccurate, reportedly arising out of confusion due to a language barrier between first responders and migrants, as well as the reluctance of some undocumented migrants to come forward, out of fear of detention by immigration authorities.

The HSRT has since confirmed that the sister of Landaeta, Marielis Martinez, reached out to the team to clear up the misunderstanding. “Firstly, she apologized for other relatives for providing inaccurate information. Secondly she confirmed that her sister is still Missing at Sea. She also sent this photo of Nikol [see below], on the said pirogue, which she received just prior to the incident. HSRT has informed the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. PLEASE SHARE. THANKS.”

The tragedy on Saturday comes only days after another migrant pirogue sank off Los Iros, claiming the lives of Edwin Parra and 6-year-old Brithanny Linneth Yanett León Palacios.

Investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the latest incident. 

More on this as it becomes available. 

[Source: Ian Alleyne]

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