USCG published a report on SAR operation on May 27, involving USCG and Caribbean CG, to locate and rescue 16 crew of product tanker CETUS. Tanker issued distress signal, reporting sinking after engine failure, crew abandoning the ship. CETUS was 135 nm north of Aruba, Caribbean. Patrol planes and nearby cargo ships were deployed, 14 crew were rescued, 2 remained missing. Tanker was en route from Barahona Dominican Republic, to Venezuela, laden status unknown, probably in ballast. Oil sleek was spotted, but whether it’s cargo or bunker fuel, or oil residues, is unknown. Crew include Venezuelan, Dominican and Cuban nationalities.
