The search and rescue operation has shifted into recovery mode after Tuesday’s incident in which a boat capsized and sank off St. Kitts, resulting in three deaths.
The vessel was carrying two locals and thirty Africans when it left Antigua and Barbuda.
Responders rescued sixteen people, and thirteen were still missing.
“We have moved from rescue to really recovery at this point in time as there are no signs based on the information before me of any further persons in the immediate area – that is live persons,” Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief of Defence Staff, Colonel Telbert Benjamin told state-owned ABS Wednesday evening.
“I daresay the event is in a recovery stage rather than a rescue,” Benjamin said.
Antigua Observer reported allegations that the Africans on the boat were trying to get to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands with the United States mainland as their final destination.
After the tragedy, Prime Minister Gaston Browne expressed ‘deep sorrow’ over the loss of life.
And he promised a full investigation into what he described as ‘this unlawful and dreadful affair.’
Browne said the Africans on board the capsized boat had arrived as tourists aiming to migrate to other countries.
Headline stock image courtesy Oliver Paaske (Unsplash.com)
Any third-party or user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries published on the St. Lucia Times website (https://stluciatimes.com) in no way convey the thoughts, sentiments or intents of St. Lucia Times, the author of any said article or post, the website, or the business. St. Lucia Times is not responsible or liable for, and does not endorse, any comments or replies posted by users and third parties, and especially the content therein and whether it is accurate.
St. Lucia Times reserves the right to remove, screen, edit, or reinstate content posted by third parties on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times (this includes the said user posts, comments, replies, and third-party entries) at our sole discretion for any reason or no reason, and without notice to you, or any user. For example, we may remove a comment or reply if we believe it violates any part of the St. Lucia Criminal Code, particularly section 313 which pertains to the offence of Libel. Except as required by law, we have no obligation to retain or provide you with copies of any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website or any other online platform owned by St. Lucia Times. All third-parties and users agree that this is a public forum, and we do not guarantee any confidentiality with respect to any content you as a user may post, or any other post or reply made by any third-party on this website. Any posts made and information disclosed by you is at your own risk.
Reading this article kinda put me into a visualize mode of the slave trade commonly known as the triangular trade. Why humans putting their life in such risk. I understand no risk no glory but sometimes we can’t be that stupid.