Saint Lucia Daily Post – May 27, 2025
A grim discovery on the shores of Canouan has left residents and authorities reeling, as a wooden boat and what appears to be the decomposed remains of multiple individuals were found washed ashore in Little Bay, Cherry Hill, St Vincent on Monday, May 26.
The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) confirmed in a press release that the vessel, which drifted in between 10:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., contained human remains in an advanced state of decomposition. Authorities have launched an active investigation into the origins of the boat and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
However, eyewitness accounts present a more harrowing scene. One Canouan resident told SEARCHLIGHT that the bodies were not confined to the vessel but were scattered across the beach, estimating that between 10 and 15 individuals may have perished. “People are saying they are Africans. The boat had no engine,” the resident stated, adding that there are unconfirmed reports of the bodies being spotted a day earlier by a fisherman who delayed reporting the incident.
Another local observer noted that the design of the boat was unfamiliar, suggesting it may not have originated from within the region.
An Associated Press investigation found that in 2020 and 2021, at least seven boats from Northwest Africa were discovered in the Caribbean and Brazil with all passengers deceased. Last year, a similar tragedy in Jamaica’s coastal waters claimed eight lives, and other cases have been documented off the coasts of Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.
The RSVGPF emphasized that the matter remains under investigation and that updates will be issued as more information comes to light.
