Monday, February 3, 2025 - At least 19 badly decomposing bodies were reportedly found on a submerged fishing boat drifting at sea in the Caribbean.
Investigators in St. Kitts and Nevis are probing the grim
discovery after the eastern Caribbean country’s coast guard responded to a
report of a vessel floating aimlessly in the water Wednesday morning, January
29, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police force said.
The nearly 20 bodies were found aboard and the boat was
towed back to St. Kitts where police and medical officials are trying to find
out more.
“It was a fishing vessel, which is not typically found in
the Caribbean,” Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Commissioner James
Sutton told The Associated Press.
We are not certain, but we believe that this vessel
originated off the West African coast.”
The victims were all dead before they reached St. Kitts and
Nevis territorial waters and had been at sea for an extended period of time,
police said.
Some of the deceased appeared to be from Mali in West
Africa, according to documents found on the vessel, police said.
“The [Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force] extends
its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by this
tragedy,” the agency said.
Authorities need to figure out how many bodies were actually
aboard the boat and then identify the remains, Sutton said.
Then investigators will work to determine what caused the
mass deaths.
The arduous task will be made more difficult because of how
decomposed the bodies were, he noted.
“The RSCNPF is working diligently to confirm their
identities and to understand the circumstances that led to this unfortunate
situation,” the agency stated.
The crime scene unit processed the scene and found some
evidence it took into custody, according to authorities.
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