St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual-island nation that is between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
An investigation is underway in the Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis after 19 people were found dead aboard a vessel, authorities said.
The St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) received a report about a vessel drifting southwest of Nevis between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Wednesday. Responding SKNDF personnel towed the ship to the Coast Guard on St. Kitts, where it was dry-docked for further investigation, police said.
When the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) officers arrived at the dock they found the 19 deceased people on the ship. The initial indication was that the vessel had been at sea for a “lengthy period” based on the peoples’ advanced stages of decomposition, according to police.
St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual-island nation located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
‘RSCNPF extends its deepest condolences’
All occupants died before the vessel entered St. Kitts and Nevis territorial waters, police said. Identification documents found on the ship suggest that some of the deceased individuals were from Mali, West Africa, according to the release.
Police Commissioner James Sutton told The Associated Press that the ship was a fishing vessel, “which is not typically found in the Caribbean.”
“The RSCNPF is working diligently to confirm their identities and to understand the circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation,” the police force said in the release. “The RSCNPF extends its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by this tragedy.”
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