BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS the police force continues its investigation into the discovery of 19 migrant bodies aboard a vessel in the Federation’s waters, an autopsy is now being conducted.
When asked by SKNVibes for an update, the Police Force’s Public Relations Department confirmed that the forensic pathologist assigned to examine the migrants’ remains arrived in the Federation on Tuesday (Mar. 4). The department stated that "forensic examinations will commence this week."
On January 29, around midday, the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) Coast Guard received a report of a vessel floating near Nevis. After responding to the call, the Coast Guard brought the vessel to its base, where they made the grim discovery.
In a media statement, the police reported that 19 bodies were aboard the vessel, all in "advanced stages of decomposition," indicating that it had been adrift for some time.
At the time, authorities noted that all those on board had died before the boat entered St. Kitts and Nevis' territorial waters. More than a month later, the police still have not identified the gender of 17 of the 19 bodies due to the extent of decomposition.
One of the deceased was identified as a child and another as a female. Police also found identification documents suggesting that some of the deceased may have been from Mali, West Africa.
SKNVibes has learned that many migrants from across West Africa pass through Mali as a transshipment point for illegal migration, paying thousands of dollars to be transported to their intended destination, which is often Europe.
Journalists in Mali told SKNVibes News that migrants typically aim to reach Europe or the United States rather than the Caribbean. However, due to the dangerous nature of the Atlantic Ocean, many vessels drift across the region for days.
The discovery in January marked the second such incident in as many days. On January 25, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard discovered a similar vessel carrying five deceased individuals. While attempting to tow the vessel to port, it broke loose and drifted away.
