Rio Dulce Robbery/Murder

[stevensc]

I just read of a robbery/murder Saturday night aboard a yacht anchored in the Rio Dulce
details can be found at: riodulcechisme.com - Home
Steve

[cubicle_zombie]

Another link to the story

US tourist hacked to death in Guatemala - Yahoo! Philippines News

[capcook]

"Aug 11, 2008 GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (AP) -- Robbers armed with machetes hacked a U.S. tourist to death and seriously wounded his wife in an attack aboard the couple's sailboat in northeastern Guatemala, the woman told The Associated Press.
In a telephone interview Sunday from her hospital bed, Nancy Dryden, 67, said her husband, Daniel Perry Dryden, 66, was killed by four men who boarded their boat late Saturday while it was anchored in Lake Izabal."

Pitty the world is coming to this... I won't go defenseless when I go..

Cheers

[David M]

Very sad. I think the way to look at it though is that crime happens everywhere and that it happens less often on the water than it does on land. It would be interesting to see any statistics on this if there are any.

[defever]

1st cruiser to be killed in the rio in a long time...but...you're still safer than living in most cities in the states...try going down a street in detroit at 10:00 p.m. sometime...or washington, or anywhere in a city. your boat represents a lifetime of wages to the guatamatecos...give 'em the $$$$ and anything else they want..not worth your life

[pogo]

Often I hear it is better not to resist and simply give robbers the loot. Does anyone know if the victims were; #1 boarded (as opposed to being off the boat at time of attack)
#2. resisted? (the taking of valuables)

My heart goes out to the survivor, I hate hearing of thugs and the inhumanity of man toward man like this.

[Soft Air]

Very, very sad...one just cannot imagine the feeling of the surviving wife

[FrankZ]

I combined these two threads as they are about the same news item.

[mobetah]

more boardings and robbery on the Rio ...... The following story is from:
riodulcechisme.com - Home

Another Boat Boarding Last Night The News - Latest News

Three boats anchored between Livingston and Texan Bay were coming to Texan Bay today.
We made radio contact with one of the boats, s/v Mima, owned by Mark and Sue with their two young children last night after dark. They said they were about two miles from Texan Bay and would arrive here sometime this morning.
During the night, five men boarded one of the three boats with machetes and one of them had a gun. One of the boats attempted to call Mima on channel 68 on the VHF radio to warn them of the danger.
Mima was not boarded. They made radio contact with a cruiser at Texan Bay who offered assistance if needed. They also contacted Raul in Livingston. The men demanded US money. No one was hurt . We have no other details at this time.
However, all three boats were badly shaken by this event and no longer plan to anchor in the river. We are all happy that they were not hurt by the robbers and they are safe today.
This information submitted by Dayna McMullen, sv SeFue at Texan Bay
EDITOR'S NOTE: The other boats were s/v Dream Odyssey and s/v Cdog. Dream Odyssey was actually boarded and quite a few items of value were removed by the pirates while the boat owner and his wife could only watch helplessly.
Reports indicate there was fourth boat that was also boarded later that evening. A British boater named John on s/v Phalcor reported on this morning's VHF cruisers' radio net that he was boarded at around 2 a.m. this morning by a group of men who attempted to rip open his hatch to gain access inside.
John managed to keep the hatch secure despite intense efforts by the boarders. Unable to gain access, they used bolt cutters to cut a chain securing his portable generator on deck, taking it with them as well as a fishing rod he had on deck. In their haste to leave the boat, the group left a machete and the label from a new pair of large boltcutters.
John was not injured

[GordMay]

More trouble on the Rio: clinging to the wreckage

"Nancy Dryden had hoped to use her experience as a physical therapist to help Guatemala's children. But after four machete-wielding men killed her 66-year-old husband, Daniel, and stabbed her, puncturing her lung, Dryden said Tuesday that all she wants to do is leave the Central American country..."
More at:
“US tourist wants to leave Guatemala after attack”
by Juan Carlos Llorca
www.kansascity.com | 08/12/2008 | US tourist wants to leave Guatemala after attack

[Pelagic]

The quotes in your link "Clinging to the wreckage" Gord give such poignant testimony to our biggest fear that:

Our dream can quickly go so bad .....thru no fault of our own.

"From,'We should have been warned it's dangerous here' to 'I'm amazed it doesn't happen more often'.

IMHO those who visit these places have an obligation to themselves to make sure they are well informed about any area in which they chose to cruise. Cruising is about self-sufficiency and that encompasses all areas of life on board. Especially understanding the cultural and political situation of the area that you visit."

So Sad!

[oldsalt_1942]

Things have changed a lot since I spent 3 months anchored all over the Rio back in '92.

[Jolly Roger]

That's an appalling state of affairs, and makes you wonder if visiting these dodgy places is worth the risk. I wonder how Daniel actually tried to resist on his own against four thugs? Once again, whether to arm or not to arm, that is the question? But let's not go down that route on this thread. I hope Nancy gets better quickly.

[CSY Man]

Hope there is a death penalty down there in the jungle and hope the culprits gets caugth and executed.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

That's an appalling state of affairs, and makes you wonder if visiting these dodgy places is worth the risk. I wonder how Daniel actually tried to resist on his own against four thugs? Once again, whether to arm or not to arm, that is the question? But let's not go down that route on this thread. I hope Nancy gets better quickly.

Then obviously you have never been to Miami, New York City, Detroit, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Floriduh, Atlanta, Los Angeles, shall I go on? Our greatest fears are when we are in our own country and not some dodgy places.