Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have launched an investigation after a vessel containing the decomposed remains of 11 people washed ashore on the Caribbean island of Canouan on Monday, May 26. The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force received the report at approximately 10:45 a.m. local time regarding a suspicious vessel discovered near Little Bay and Cherry Hill.
Officers from the Canouan police station responded to the scene and found the 45-foot-long boat grounded along the coastline. The vessel measured 12 feet wide and 6 feet deep. During the initial examination, authorities discovered the remains of 11 individuals aboard the craft, all in what police described as an advanced state of decomposition. Some of the remains were not fully intact, complicating identification efforts.
Investigators recovered several passports from the vessel that appear to originate from the Republic of Mali, a West African nation. However, police have not officially identified any of the bodies, and the investigation remains ongoing. The human remains have been transported to mainland St. Vincent and are being held at the Kingstown mortuary for further forensic analysis and investigative procedures.
Police indicated that the incident is deeply concerning and emphasized that they are treating the investigation with utmost seriousness and sensitivity. The department noted it is working closely with regional and international partners to verify the origins of the vessel and determine the identities of those onboard. Authorities stated they are committed to pursuing every lead and ensuring all appropriate protocols are followed.
The discovery comes amid ongoing security concerns in Mali, where the U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory in July 2023. The advisory cites risks of crime, terrorism and kidnapping throughout the country. According to the State Department, violent crime, including kidnapping and armed robbery, is common in Mali, with terrorist and armed groups continuing to plot attacks and kidnappings with little warning.
This incident marks the second similar discovery in the Caribbean region within recent months. In January, authorities in St. Kitts and Nevis launched an investigation after 19 people were found dead aboard a drifting vessel. The St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard responded to reports of the drifting vessel off the coast of Nevis at approximately 11:30 a.m. on January 29.
Police Commissioner James Sutton of St. Kitts and Nevis described that vessel as a fishing boat, noting it was not typically found in Caribbean waters. Sutton indicated that officials believed the vessel originated off the West African coast. The 19 bodies discovered in that incident were also in advanced stages of decomposition, and identification documents found on board suggested some individuals were from Mali.
In August 2024, forensic authorities in the Dominican Republic worked to identify remains of at least 14 mostly decomposed bodies found on an abandoned vessel 10 nautical miles off its northern coast. The Dominican Republic Navy determined that the 14 skeletons appeared to belong to individuals from Senegal and Mauritania, based on documentation found with the bodies.
The pattern of vessels carrying deceased individuals from West Africa washing up in Caribbean waters has raised concerns among regional authorities about potential migration attempts gone wrong. The ongoing crisis in Mali, characterized by security threats and humanitarian challenges, has contributed to displacement and dangerous migration routes.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located in the Eastern Caribbean, positioned west of Barbados and south of St. Lucia. The island of Canouan, where the latest discovery occurred, is part of the Grenadines chain. The investigation into the vessel and its occupants continues as authorities work to determine the circumstances that led to the tragic discovery and the identities of those who perished.
