RESIDENTS of Gasparee Island are "frightened and anxious" about two tankers moored just off the island which they believe could end up destroying their jetty, their homes and more importantly taking their lives.

The tankers, the S&M Enterprise and the S&M Unity, have been moored just off Gasparee Island for the past two months, Gasparee Island resident Andy Campbell said yesterday.

"This is a nightmare situation. These two ships drifted anchor about two months ago and finally the anchor has hooked the submarine electrical cable that brings electricity from the mainland across to Gasparee Island," Campbell told the Express in a telephone interview yesterday.

"As we sit here, we see the tankers shifting and moving with the tides. It is only a matter of time and bad weather that some tragedy will happen (involving) loss of life and property," Campbell said.

If the tankers destroy the submarine cables Gasparee Islands will lose all electrical power, Campbell said.

He said three years ago when the electrical cables were destroyed in similar circumstance, repair costs to taxpayers were estimated to be tens of millions of dollars.

Campbell said he has sent e-mail correspondence to the relevant authorities for them to deal with the situation, but to date nothing has happened.

"Two weeks ago I visited the Harbour Master, Ms Beverley Phillip, myself, who said she was not aware of the situation but she spoke to Kirton Huggins, a Senior Coast Guard officer who was present at the meeting, who said that he was aware of the problem. These ships are moored in full view of the Coast Guard and 50 yards off the coastline and a jetty on Garparee," Campbell said.

"No one wants to take responsibility in all of this," Campbell said.

Contacted for comment yesterday public relations officer for the Coast Guard, Lieutenant Kirk Jean-Baptiste said he was aware of the situation.

"Some time ago Coast Guard noticed two vessels drifting and we had to deploy evasive manoeuvres and actions to prevent it from crashing into the houses (on Gasparee Island). We did some evasive manoeuvres until we got the owners to come," Jean-Baptiste said.

"We put our own ships in danger to prevent those two ships from drifting (toward Gaspareee Island), Jean-Baptiste said.

"The two ships are close to the island, I do not think they are in danger per se, but it is cause for concern for the (Gasparee) island homeowners," he said.

Jean-Baptiste said Maritime Services was the responsible agent for having the ships removed.

Attempts to contact the Harbour Master proved unsuccessful.