KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Officials from the Regional Security System (RSS) were expected to arrive here yesterday to investigate the wreckage found in the Tobago Cays on Tuesday even as a member of the group that found the debris said he wants a “reward”.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that the RSS team would be working along with local authorities to investigate the nature and origin of the object, according to Star FM.
Speculations are rife that the object could be parts of a malfunctioned Russian spacecraft.
Meanwhile, a man who was among the 12-member group that discovered the object on Petit Tabac, said on radio yesterday that no one was guarding the objects.
“And I really want to [know] if the Coast Guard have any idea of what they are dealing with or they being stupidy; which one?
“There is a plan in place. They have contacted the Regional Security System, they are supposed to be coming in sometime today (yesterday), they should have been here already, but, because of the LIAT strike — and they have also contacted the embassies, the U.S. Embassy and the Russian Embassy. So, a lot of things are being done behind the scenes to get the whole thing sorted out,” Elson Crick, communications consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister, told the caler to the radio programme.
The tour group member said that he had the original photographs of the objects, adding, “ we looking for … rewards from the Russians too…
“Because, remember we are in this business so we know how to contact people, too. I think everything now should be governmental and they should leave an officer there to guard that thing …” he said.
The wreckage was found even as the European Space Agency said on Friday that it had abandoned efforts to contact a Russian space probe, increasing the likelihood that it will plunge to Earth, according to international media reports.
The unnamed Phobos-Ground probe was to head to Mars for a 2½-year mission to take soil samples then fly back to earth. But it became stuck in Earth orbit after its Nov. 9 launch and attempts to send commands that would propel it towards the Mars moon have been unsuccessful.
Russian deputy space chief Vitaly Davydc said last month that if the spacecraft is not sent to Mars, it could fall to Earth something between late December and late February.