The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard has recovered the bodies of 3 of the 4 missing crewmembers of the St. Vincentian vessel, MV Fair Chance.

The remains of Owen Prescott, Eric Calliste and Devon Celestine were found yesterday 16 days after the vessel overturned 5 nautical miles in the Gulf of Paria off Monos Island.

However, a statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard says a 4^th person remains unaccounted for.

The release says the recovery team, involving coast guard and commercial professionals, managed to get the vessel afloat last Sunday morning, after other efforts to recover the bodies failed.

The coast guard says cargo and other debris had blocked the hatches and doorways, delaying recovery.

A commercial salvage company was hired to assist with cutting a hole in the deck so that access could be gained.

According to the statement the hole was cut but divers from neither the coast guard nor the commercial company could get pass the cargo and debris.

The statement says recognising that the only way to get through the blockage was to raise the Fair Chance; the salvage company began attempts to refloat her.

Finally yesterday the coast guard, accompanied by members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, was able to enter the vessel to begin the process of clearing the debris.

This leaves one person still unaccounted for according to the 2 surviving crewmembers rescued immediately after the vessel overturned.

The pumping went late into last evening.