"20 bodies were found on a boat..."

[snort]

This is a strange story. Hopefully some details eventually get filled in.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/20-dead-b...103749575.html

[Shrew]

Carbon Monoxide poisoning comes to mind. It could happen while attempting to run the generator or engines if becalmed. 20 people would also require a lot of water. A water contamination problem, or insufficient supplies (watermaker malfunction) on a long passage could be detrimental.

[Joh.Ghurt]

I tried to dig around a little there doesn't seem to be any information available besides the press release from the police. No clue about the type or size of boat (small), no information about what they died of except no foul play, no information about the people themselves except there were two children too. All they said the boat was from outside the Caribbean and destined for somewhere else.

If it was a commercial operator or a cruiser, there'd be a chance that people could be identified easily and I guess the headline would be more like "German cruiser found dead with his family". This could mean it was a random, barely seaworthy boat in the first place.

20 people are also quite a lot for a normal cruiser and not mentioning anything about the victims reeks of politically correct coward-speak. Many articles mix into the story some unrelated stories about refugees crossing from Haiti to greener pastures. Although not confirmed, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be some unfortunate boat-people in a leaky fisherboat.

[StuM]

Very similar case a few weeks ago with a bit more info. I'd suspect a similar origin:
https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/boat...%20in%20Tobago

"The fishing boat with 14 dead bodies and other human remains found drifting off the coast of Tobago last Friday, has been traced back to vessel stolen from Mauritania, Africa."

[hpeer]

Somewhere I picked up that they had also intercepted an addition boat of Haitians:
34 men
8 women
1 infant
Who were taken for repatriation.

[Gadagirl]

Mon, 28 June, 2021, 3:48 PM
CURRENT AFFAIRS
20 DEAD BODIES FOUND ON BOAT
Mon, Jun 28, 2021

The boat (right) on which the dead bodies were found (Photo by Moses Carter)
Mystery surrounds the discovery of 20 decomposed bodies on a boat off the island capital of Grand Turk on Thursday, June 24th, 2021

Public Affairs Officer of the Royal Turk and Caicos Islands Police Force Takara Bain said police are trying establish their identity, the cause of death and the circumstances that led them to be found in the Turks and Caicos Islands waters.

"Whilst the deaths are unexplained, there is no indication of foul play, and investigators are keeping an open mind as to how these people met their deaths," she said in a press statement.

Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said, "It is believed that the boat originated from outside of the Caribbean region and that neither the Turks and Caicos Islands nor the region was their intended destination. My investigators are working to establish their identities and how they met their death. This work will take some time to complete. Whatever the circumstances, this is a tragic situation where many people have lost their lives, and the thoughts and prayers of the Force go out to those families who have lost a loved one. We will do all we can to identify them and contact their families."

Commissioner Botting's assessment that the vessel originated from outside the Caribbean region, has led to speculation that it may have been from the west coast of Africa and drifted across the Atlantic.

Commissioner Botting added, "In dealing with this situation, I want to pay tribute to my policing team on Grand Turk and those from Health and other TCIG agencies who assisted in the recovery of the bodies. This incident was a human tragedy and a very distressing scene. However, my officers have acted with professionalism, humanity and care in the very upsetting work they did yesterday to recover those who have died. I thank them for a job well done for the humanity and professionalism they have shown".

On Wednesday there were widespread reports that the remains on the remains on the boat were from persons from the Dominican Republic on their way to Miami who had drifted from The Bahamas.

This was however dismissed, as it is highly unlikely that a vessel heading from The Bahamas to Florida would have drifted to Turks and Caicos Islands, which is south east of The Bahamas, and especially to Grand Turk which is far east.

https://suntci.com/dead-bodies-found-on-boat-p6416-129.htm

[Zachary M]

Yes right.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Somewhere I picked up that they had also intercepted an addition boat of Haitians ...

Maybe here [June 28] ➥ https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3434954

[nolakennedys]

While in the Coast Guard in the early 1990s we intercepted every type and make of grossly overloaded vessels in that area of the Caribe. Sometimes there were deceased onboard. My most memorable one was a 40ish foot rusty trawler adrift north of Cape Haitian with over 180 people on board. I was present for both Operation Able Manner and Able Vigil.

https://cgaviationhistory.org/1994-a...comes-a-flood/