Yachtsman Feared Eaten by Cannibals in South Pacific

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

"They went hunting ..."

Amazing to read RTW sailors go hunting (???) in FP.

The hunter ended up hunted, fried and eaten. Amazing story, truly amazing.

b.

It is not unusual for cruising sailors to join local men for boar hunting on these islands.

I have strong doubts that this sailor was eaten. Like my husband posted in this thread, hacking up and burning a corpse is far more likely to have been an attempt to destroy evidence than to have been an act of cannibalism.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[Still Hopefull]

I suppose cannibalism is not totally out of the question. Here in South Africa we have quite a few 'muti murders' where children are murdered and body parts chopped off and sold to sangomas, (witchdoctors) for muti. And that's in major centres like Johannesburg and Cape Town, not just in the rural areas.

There's a court case in progress right now where a man has been charged with just that. The sangoma, who has fled for her life, was his 80 something year old landlady.

Sometimes our world ain't quite as civilized as we might think. There's still a lot of weird stuff going on out there.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Still early on this one. Have searched, and other than the OP's source, can find no confirmation on the alledged incident.
Have no reason to doubt the OP's integrity.

GOOGLE is your friend....

Yachtsman Feared Eaten by Cannibals - Google Search+

Whatever the outcome, for the couple it's a terrible end to the adventure of a lifetime......a little respect wouldn't hurt....

[Cormorant]

A couple of more recent reports on the case:

No cannibalism in German's Polynesia death: prosecutor < German news | Expatica Germany

No cannibalism in German's Polynesia death: prosecutor



The chief prosecutor in French Polynesia has denied reports that a cannibal ate a German tourist believed to have been murdered while visiting the island chain.
Prosecutor Jose Thorel said police were hunting for Henri Arihano Haiti, a local guide who is suspected of having killed 40-year-old German Stefan Ramin, but had no evidence to suggest Ramin had been eaten.
Media reports in Germany and elsewhere have suggested that Ramin, who went missing on the island of Nuku Hiva on October 9 and whose charred remains were found last week, was killed, dismembered and eaten while he visited the island with his girlfriend on a round-the-world sailing trip.
"The theory of cannibalism is in no way a part of our investigation," Thorel told AFP.
Ramin reportedly went missing after anchoring his catamaran near the island and heading to the interior with Haiti, a 31-year-old local guide, leaving behind his girlfriend Heike Dorsch, 37.
Haiti reportedly returned to the boat claiming Ramin had been injured and needed assistance. When Dorsch left the boat he allegedly attempted to sexually assault her and tied her to a tree.
Human remains were found in a charred pit on the island last Wednesday and Thorel said teeth found at the scene matched Ramin's dental records. DNA tests were being conducted to confirm the find, he said.
Thorel said police were carrying out a massive manhunt for Haiti, who had previously served six months in prison on a 2005 burglary conviction.
Reports of cannibalism in Polynesia captured the European imagination when the region was first explored by Westerners, but experts say the practice has not been in use for more than a hundred years.


------------------


Polynesians like hot dogs, not humans: journo


Polynesians like hot dogs, not humans: journo



Locals from the isolated Polynesian island where the dental remains of a German tourist were found have reacted with disgust at the suggestion he was eaten by cannibals, telling journalists they prefer hot dogs to humans.
Newspapers and websites across the world have hinted that Stefan Ramin, 40, may have been dismembered and eaten by a man who took him on a goat hunting trip from which he never returned.
Journalist and publisher Alex Du Prel told NZ Newswire: "Trust me, we'd rather eat hot dogs than humans around here."
The German had been sailing around the world with his girlfriend Heike Dorsch, 37, for three years when they decided to spend some time on Nuku Hiva after arriving on September 16.
The day Ramin disappeared he had gone with local guide Henri Haiti to hunt goats. Ms Dorsch said Haiti returned to their boat without Ramin and tried to convince her to come into the jungle.
When she refused, she claimed he tied her to a tree and tried to sexually assault her. She escaped and raised the alarm, Radio New Zealand said.
Police searching for Mr Ramin and Haiti found ash and dental remains at a fire site last Wednesday, fuelling speculation that he was eaten by a cannibal who then tried to destroy the evidence.
DNA testing will take weeks to complete, but Mr Ramin's dental records, sent from Germany, show the teeth found match his, the Daily Mail reports.
But Mr Du Prel said the stories of flesh-craving islanders are "totally invented."
"Believe me, French civilisation has taught these islanders to eat cheeseburgers and canned food, not people, and their wild pigs are far tastier," Mr Du Prel said.

[Celestialsailor]

I think it is ridiculous that the German tabloid reported cannibalism when there is no conclusive evidence.

[Celestialsailor]

I really feel for his girl friend who was apparently sexually assaulted. I can't imagine her state of mind right now

[atoll]

Originally Posted by savoir

How do you know there was a murder ?

it could have been a love triangle gone badly wrong

[savoir]

Could be.

All we know so far is that the guy is missing and probably dead.

So many strange deaths in the Pacific. Remember Palmyra ? The boat that did the Marie Celeste thing ? Crew disappearing on calm nights etc etc

[savoir]

For those interested in the macabre - Palmyra story here.

The Curse of Palmyra Island

Modern Marie Celeste here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II#...arance_of_crew

[Seahunter]

Sounds like an urban, ummm island myth to me. More likely an isolated MDK.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Actually, I think probably more a matter of turning up "rich beyond even the dreams of the locals" and no ability (nor recognition?) that things do need defending (and not just talking guns)........in the Freemarket that gets dealt with accordingly. It's not 1974 anymore

Also going into the jungle with a stranger you barely know, is arguably asking for trouble (at least statistically). I might be "well known" (on CF) but it doesn't mean someone would be wise to walk into the Jungle with me (Trees or Urban).......and carrying a million dollars
Obviously the above scenario unlikely in practice (?!). But the (late) Missus would () have done much the same for far less or your hat.(albeit Urban only - "Jungle for the poor......and idiot Tourists" )". and other (now former?) in-laws less fussy......

Foreign can be a fun(ny) place

[virginia boy]

Yes, this murder is a tragic event and although, I don't know the fellow who was murdered, In my own way I grieve for this couple.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

It was his fault because he was on a multihill


Actually, I think probably more a matter of turning up "rich beyond even the dreams of the locals" and no ability (nor recognition?) that things do need defending (and not just talking guns)........in the Freemarket that gets dealt with accordingly. It's not 1974 anymore

Also going into the jungle with a stranger you barely know, is arguably asking for trouble (at least statistically). I might be "well known" (on CF) but it doesn't mean someone would be wise to walk into the Jungle with me (Trees or Urban).......and carrying a million dollars
Obviously the above scenario unlikely in practice (?!). But the (late) Missus would () have done much the same for far less or your hat.(albeit Urban only - "Jungle for the poor......and idiot Tourists" )". and other (now former?) in-laws less fussy......

Foreign can be a fun(ny) place

I agree and leaving behind the lady was a little odd..wonder what they hunt goats with?..DVC

[hummingway]

This thread was closed and cleaned up since it had devolved into a discussion of gallows humour and its appropriateness in this context.

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[callmecrazy]

crazy, but (apparently) true...

'Cannibal' victim identified by teeth

[text from link above]
Teeth found among charred human remains on a remote island in French Polynesia are those of a missing Hamburg yachtsman who, according to German police, was killed, dismembered and eaten by a cannibal tourist guide.
Stefan Ramin, 40, was last seen on September 16 on the island of Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.

He and his girlfriend, 37-year-old Heike Dorsch, were on a round-the-world sailing trip. The couple had been living on a yacht and planned to spend the next few months in the area.

The day Ramin disappeared he had gone ashore with local guide Henri Haiti to hunt goats. Ms Dorsch said Haiti returned to their boat without Ramin and tried to convince her to come into the jungle.

When she refused to comply, she said he tied her to a tree and sexually assaulted her.

Radio New Zealand International reported yesterday that police searching for Mr Ramin and Haiti found ash remains at a fire site last Wednesday.

DNA testing will take weeks to complete, but Mr Ramin's dental records, sent from Germany, show the teeth found match his, the Daily Mail reports.

"It is almost certain the remains we found in the fire are those of Stefan Ramin," Nuku Hiva prosecutor Jose Thorel said.

The fire is thought to have been huge — leaves 7.5m above the site were scorched and fragments of clothes, teeth and bone were found spread over a 10.5m area.

Further tests are being carried out on the ash.

Investigators are said to be convinced Haiti is a cannibal and is responsible for Mr Ramin's brutal murder.

"It is the suspicion of the authorities that the hunter carved his victim up, ate parts of the body and burned the remainder along with animals cadavers," they told German newspaper Bild.

"He is regarded as a cannibal."