BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POLICE have released new details about a tragic discovery at sea after a drifting vessel was found southwest of Nevis yesterday (Jan. 29).
According to an official statement, the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) Coast Guard received a report of the boat between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Responding to the call, the Coast Guard towed the vessel to its base on St. Kitts, where it was brought ashore for further investigation.
Upon inspection, police found 19 bodies aboard the vessel, all in advanced stages of decomposition, suggesting it had been adrift for an extended period. Officials confirmed that all those onboard had already died before the boat entered St. Kitts and Nevis' territorial waters.
Identification documents recovered on the vessel indicate that some of the deceased may have been from Mali, West Africa. Authorities are working to confirm their identities as the investigation continues.
This marks the second such grim discovery in the region in recent days. On Saturday (Jan. 25), the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard encountered a similar vessel carrying five deceased individuals. However, while attempting to tow it to port, the vessel broke apart and drifted away.
Authorities have not yet determined how these boats ended up in the Caribbean or the circumstances leading to the deaths. Investigations remain ongoing.
