On Tuesday (May 27), the Caribbean island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines discovered an unmanned ship stranded on the coast of the luxury tourist destination of Canouan Island. The ship, found to contain 11 severely decomposed bodies, is believed to have originated from Mali.
Local authorities received a report at 10:45 a.m. on Monday about a 45-foot-long vessel drifting towards the shore of Little Bay on Canouan Island.
Police Superintendent Junior Simmons of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stated that 11 highly decomposed bodies, some even incomplete, were discovered on board the ship. These bodies have been transported to the main island of Saint Vincent for further forensic examination and investigation. Additionally, several passports believed to be from the Republic of Mali were found on the stranded vessel.
Canouan Island, located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, is a small island belonging to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines known for its upscale resorts, luxury villas, and private airport, attracting wealthy individuals and celebrities as frequent visitors.
According to Reuters, this is the second similar incident in the region. In nearby St. Kitts and Nevis, a ship carrying 19 bodies was discovered in January of this year. Due to the advanced state of decomposition of the bodies, authorities concluded that these individuals had been adrift at sea for a considerable period of time and had perished before reaching the national waters.
Some identification documents found on the ship indicated that some of the passengers were from Mali.
Mali, an inland country in West Africa with no direct access to the sea, is approximately 3,850 miles (6,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean from the incident location.
Reports suggest that the North Atlantic waters along the West African coast are among the most treacherous routes globally. The region experiences strong westward ocean currents and winds, leading to significant deviations from intended navigation courses for vessels.