Email

Print

Monica Bodden Reporting
This is the 22 foot vessel that was rescued by the Coast Guard in the vicinity of Stake Bank on Sunday afternoon. It was heading to Bannister Caye when it experienced engine trouble with 14 persons on board, 10 adults and four children. But when the Coast Guard got there, only 10 adults were on board:

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Belize Coast Guard
"The captain at the time Mr. Kenrod Brown tried to remedy the situation. During that time Mr. Dawson decides to take a swim and he jump into the water. Shortly thereafter he began to experience problems and requested help. The captain Mr. Brown then jump into the water with a life jacket to assist Mr. Dawson and we were inform that he gave the life jacket to Mr. Dawson and thereafter he began to experience problems himself. Both of them due to the weather conditions at the time - the saw was chopped, the tide is very strong at that location, they began to drift very quickly away from the vessel with the 12 persons on board. Mr. Dawson informs us that both of them were holding on to the life jacket for a while until Mr. Brown let go of the life jacket and submerged and did not resurface."

And today the worst was confirmed and family members had to brace themselves as the coast guard brought in their loved one's body this afternoon in the Old College Area.

The decomposed body - lost at sea since Sunday was bundled into a plastic sheet and carted away as his family wailed in the background.

Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"A little after 1pm some children that were in this area swimming came across the body of a missing person. Kenrod Brown was originally reported missing at sea. We know that the body is in an advance state of decomposition, so he was pronounce dead on arrival at the hospital and because of the state of decomposition a post mortem will be conducted immediately on the body to determine the cause of death."

Marion Alley, Reporter
"Is there any signs of foul play? Any suspicions?"

Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"There is no visible sign as yet and we hope at the conclusion of the postmortem we can determine the cause of death."

Marion Alley, Reporter
"His family are saying that this man could have swim very well, he is certified and they do believe its foul play."

Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"Well Marion the family is allowed to think that way. They have lost a love one. I have to be professional and I have to report the facts and like I said I have viewed the body, other detectives have viewed the body and there is no visible sign of foul play at this time."

And while there was no foul play, according to the Coast Guard, there were inadequate safety provisions:

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis, Belize Coast Guard
"To note here Monica - that is of great concern to us as the Coast Guard especially throughout this Easter period is safety. as was mention there were 14 people on board this small skiff and there were only two life jackets and there were four kids onboard, so there were two life jackets and that is a concern for us."