“It was an accident!”

That’s how Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley responded to allegations made by the Opposition Leader, that the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard “murdered” nine month old baby boy  Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia, when it shot at a migrant vessel on Saturday night.

Saying Mrs. Persad Bissessar has limboed to a new low, Dr. Rowley accused the Opposition Leader of being opportunistic and unpatriotic.

“Our border patrol attempts to stop a craft that refused to comply and acted aggressively towards lawful, reasonable and professional orders under international protocols and law. Our officer on patrol under professional orders attempted to disable the craft in the darkness of the ocean. The craft could easily have been carrying any cargo of guns, ammunition, killers or anything on the move,” the PM said.

“According to her the craft should have been allowed to evade the border patrol. They should have known that there was an endangered baby on board. We regret the terrible loss of that innocent infant but what should we think of the opportunistic, shameless, attention-seeking lady who is so bereft of any scintilla of patriotism,” he added.

On Monday night, while addressing supporters on the UNC virtual platform, Persad-Bissessar demanded more answers from the Coast Guard over the incident, questioning whether less evasive measures could have been employed.

“What a heart breaking thing, to see our Coast Guard…firing on a migrant vessel, murdering a baby. We are making international news because of that. I cannot see- and I await the explanations- I cannot see if you have a migrant vessel and you have women and children there, did they have weapons? Did anyone raise a weapon to you? Why did you have to shoot?”

Meanwhile, The TTPS and the Coast Guard have both launched their own investigation into the shooting death of a Venezuelan baby boy by Coast Guard personnel over the weekend.

The investigation has been confirmed by National Security Minister, Fitzgerald Hinds.