Dutch sailor shot dead in Brazil-(Merged)

[sailingmonica]

The original article is in Dutch:

Ronald Wolbeek | Mensenlinq.nl - Leeuwarder Courant | Overlijden, nieuws, condoleances en familieberichten

but this is what Google Translate gives:

The Dutchman Ronald Wolbeek (60) to the sailing was on the north coast of Brazil, is slain during a raid on his sailboat. Brazilian media reported that Sunday evening (local time).

The Dutchman's partner told police they heard the alarm on the boat in the night from Saturday to Sunday. The man went to see what was happening and ran two gunmen bump. After arguing there were two shots fired. One of them touched the Dutchman.

The perpetrators fled in a small boat without having something stolen.

The Dutchman's partner tried to get him into a rescue boat rowing on the coast, but did not succeed. She jumped off the boat and swam to the beach. There she was caught by police officers. The Dutchman did not survive the failed rescue.

Two years ago, something similar happened with an American tourist. The six offenders were sentenced according to the police, but were again at liberty. They are now the main suspects.

[BlueBuddha]

Found this news on Facebook. The article is in Portuguese but the translation is below. During my "dreaming" of circumnavigation I've been wondering about whether stopping in Brazil in the way back from South Africa is worth the risk. The data in Noonsite does not show an increase in crime in Brazil but clearly a much higher rate of attacks than in most of the Caribbean and South America (except for Venezuela). It is sad because both the Brazilian and Venezuelan coasts are stunning and really worth seeing in our life time.

G1 - Holandês é assassinado dentro de embarcação em São Luís - notícias em Maranhão

A man identified as Ronald François Wolbeek, 60, from Holland, was killed in the early hours of Sunday the 15th in the Bay of San Marcos, St. Louis. According to the Tourist Police (CPTur), Ronald was accompanied by his wife, Maria Rawi, 69, in a private boat with Dutch flag. The couple was surprised by three armed men and one of them ended up shooting the victim on his chest, who then died.

According to information passed by Major Roberto of the CPTur, the couple has been in Brazil since December 21st and had come to Maranhao in the afternoon of Saturday the 14th from Recife. Around midnight this Sunday, the alarm went off and the victim went outside to check what was happening. At that moment, three men entered the boat and surrounded the couple. There was discussion and Ronald was shot in the chest.

In his testimony, Maria Rawi said that after the shooting, the suspects fled in a small boat, without taking anything. Seeing the injured husband, the woman used a lifeboat to try to get to the beach. She could not row, so she jumped into the water and swam to a nearby hotel, where he found a police garrison.

[Celestialsailor]

It is my wish that people read this and plan for an unlikely event as this. Using a liferaft to get to shore is not a good way of saving critical time.

[MarkJ]

The 'lifeboat' may be a journos lack of knowledge , error etc, for dinghy.

Very sad!

I like my door thats locked but i can squirt tear gas into the cockpit. I dont want to be outside with them!

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

It is my wish that people read this and plan for an unlikely event as this. Using a liferaft to get to shore is not a good way of saving critical time.

In preparation for events like this it does make one rethink about self defence weapons such as a shot gun or other powerful evil doer terminator.

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

It is my wish that people read this and plan for an unlikely event as this. Using a liferaft to get to shore is not a good way of saving critical time.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Sad story. Evidently the use of an alarm was not enough to cause the perps to flee.

[Celestialsailor]

Yes and so I think MarkJ has the right solution for this possible event.

[krafthaus]

"Victim went outside to see what was happening" according to the report. My thinking is stay inside locked in preferably.

Deck & cockpit lights you can turn on from inside would be good and an air horn to draw attention too. Plus a couple cans of pepper spray would be on my list.

The perps ended up taking nothing.

Very regrettable & unfortunate.


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[JPA Cate]

The skunk spray would be good, too, helps the police find the bad guys. Just a thought.

[JPA Cate]

sailingmonica,

There is already another thread about this incident, called something like "Dutch Sailor Shot Dead on His Boat in Brazil", posted earlier today by Blue Bhudda. Very sad incident.

[GordMay]

Dutch tourist killed in S?o Luis - MA, Brazil forum

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by BlueBuddha

Found this news on Facebook. The article is in Portuguese but the translation is below. During my "dreaming" of circumnavigation I've been wondering about whether stopping in Brazil in the way back from South Africa is worth the risk.

Don't get confused. There are two mistakes that you do not need to make and this fellow made:

- He was in a place known to be dangerous (both the whole area and the specific spot).
- He resisted when someone came in with a gun instead of giving them what they wanted.

I have lived in Brazil as a corporate expat for several years and later on sailed the whole coast of Brazil not once but twice. I have also assisted others making the trip. When one of them wanted to go to a place that looked iffy to me I would make contact with a yacht club in the area and never had a problem, even though the boats were very expensive boats that were much more likely to attract crime.

Make sure you get the cruising guide written by the Brazilian guy (not the nicely printed one) that has good info on safety. Then use free resources such as Brazilian forum members (count me in too) to validate your plans. Enjoy your time in Brazil!



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[SVTwilight]

A sad ending.

I have spent a lot of time in Brasil over the last twenty years, but not actually lived there. Great people, great food, cool culture, but a very different level of safety and acceptance -or at least prevalence- of violent crime.

My impression and experience has always been that it is a much more dangerous than average place, even for Latin America, particularly in the large cities and coastal areas.. There are thieves and robbers that have no hesitation to commit armed robbery and in that act, no hesitation about shooting the victims over the slightest provocation.

I stopped traveling to Venezuela several years ago since it is even worse there and I am on the fence about traveling back to Brasil. I definitely would not cruise there.

Your mileage or opinion may very....

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by svlamorocha

... He was in a place known to be dangerous (both the whole area and the specific spot)...
... I would make contact with a yacht club in the area and never had a problem, even though the boats were very expensive boats that were much more likely to attract crime...

“... Police Delegado, Jeffrey Furtado, stated that Ronald and Maria had been warned over the radio by locals about the dangers of anchoring in the area, which is surrounded by favelas*. He added that they ignored the warnings possibly because they didn't understand Portuguese very well...”
From ➥ Dutch tourist killed in S?o Luis - MA, Brazil forum

* A favela is the term for a slum in Brazil.