Three persons have been confirmed dead, another sixteen have been rescued and
thirteen remain unaccounted for, following the tragedy at sea, early Tuesday
morning, when the vessel in which they were traveling capsized off the St Kitts
coast.
Reports are that the vessel, believed to have been registered in the French territory
of Guadeloupe, arrived in Antigua and Barbuda waters about a week ago and it left
Antigua sometime on Tuesday night, heading northward, perhaps to the United
States Virgin Islands.
The vessel has since been reported as missing to the Antigua and Barbuda police.
The reports are that the vessel was transporting some thirty-two persons, 30 of
whom were passengers, along with the captain and one crew member. The reports
also indicate that the vessel capsized, and its alarm system sent out an automatic
alert that triggered a response from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
(MRCC) based in Martinique, which has responsibility for the entire Eastern
Caribbean.
Head of the Defense Force, Colonel Telbert Benjamin reported that they were
notified of the incident sometime between 3:00 and 3:30 am on Tuesday. He said,
the St. Kitts Nevis Coast Guard was also mobilized and that they are an integral
part of the rescue operation, as well as an aircraft from (MRCC). A cruise ship that
was in the area was also part of the rescue operations.
Sixteen persons were rescued and taken to St. Kitts for processing. The three
bodies were also taken to St. Kitts but are expected to be sent to Antigua sometime
after. The other thirteen are presumed dead.
According to Col. Benjamin the reports reaching him indicate that 14 persons
rescued were of African origin, whilst the other two are Antigua and Barbuda
nationals. The fourteen Africans are Cameroonians believed to have been part of
the group that has been resident here for the past several months.
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has since issued an official statement
on the tragedy, which is also published in this edition of Point Express.
