A MAN who was piloting his pirogue, while he attempted to take a picture of the moon, crashed into a Coast Guard vessel on Saturday night.

Police yesterday said the incident occurred sometime around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday near the Coast Guard headquarters at Staubles Bay.

According to reports, Interceptor 019 left the Coast Guard base to do a routine patrol of the area when a pirogue, which was stationary at the time, was spotted.

The Coast Guard interceptor attempted to approach the pirogue, Calypso 23, to see if assistance was required. However, as the Coast Guard vessel approached nearer, the pirogue started to head toward the interceptor.

The pirogue, which was piloted by Robert Aliervach, 45, of Ariapita Avenue, Port of Spain, eventually collided with the interceptor.

No one was injured during the incident, but the Interceptor 019 sustained a four-inch long gash across its starboard side, reports said.

Aliervach admitted responsibility for the accident and confessed that he was attempting to take a photograph of the moon when the incident occurred.

Lt. Kirk Jean Baptiste, public relations officer for the Coast Guard, confirmed the incident when the Express contacted him by phone yesterday.

Chaguaramas police are continuing investigations.

This incident comes just three weeks after 13-year-old Paige Welch, her mother Raquel, 40, of New Hampshire, United States, and her 23-year-old cousin Lance Aqui, were seriously injured on August 16, during a kayaking expedition in Chaguaramas.

Interceptor 019 rescued the trio after that incident. The Welches have since returned to the US where they are continuing treatment on their injuries.

No charges have yet been laid against the driver of the boat, an officer of the Defence Force, who caused that incident.