Autopsies confirmed the victims endured prolonged suffering. The tragedy echoes a 1985 explosion that killed 14, including Kurban’s father, on the same pipeline.
On February 25, 2022, five divers working on a leaking pipeline off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago were sucked into the pipe due to a sudden pressure imbalance. The 30-inch pipe, owned by state-run Paria Fuel Trading, trapped them 60 feet underwater. One diver, Christopher Boodram, managed to escape after three hours and pleaded for a rescue.
Authorities allegedly refused, calling the mission too dangerous and blocking volunteers. The other four men—Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jr, and Yusuf Henry—died inside the pipe.
Despite evidence the men were alive hours after the incident, Paria prioritized body recovery days later. Autopsies confirmed the victims endured prolonged suffering. The tragedy echoes a 1985 explosion that killed 14, including Kurban’s father, on the same pipeline. No one has been held accountable, and families have received no compensation.
The incident is now the subject of Pipeline, a six-part podcast investigating the disaster and alleged cover-up.