By: Spokesman Newsroom 

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 30th January 2025)-Authorities in St. Kitts and Nevis have identified a woman and a child among the nineteen (19) decomposed individuals found aboard a drifting vessel southwest of Nevis on Thursday 29th January 2025.

Information coming from the police public relations department indicate that the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) Coast Guard received the report between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. and responded accordingly, towing the vessel to the Coast Guard base in St. Kitts for further investigation. 

Upon arrival, police officers found the bodies in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting the vessel had been at sea for an extended period.

As reported by police, no markings were found on the boat.

Law enforcement confirmed that all individuals were deceased before the boat entered St. Kitts and Nevis territorial waters. Identification documents recovered on board indicate that some of the deceased may have originated from Mali, West Africa. The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) is working to verify identities and determine the circumstances leading to the incident.

Crime scene investigators have processed the vessel and collected items of evidential value. Initial police reports indicated 12 bodies before the number increased to 13, with a final confirmed count of 19.

Authorities continue to investigate and urge anyone with relevant information to contact the nearest police station. The RSCNPF has extended condolences to the families and communities affected by the tragedy.