Local fishermen found a 40-foot boat in the Atlantic Ocean coastal waters with 14 skeletal remains on 6 August 2024 off Río San Juan, located in the María Trinidad Sánchez province on the country’s northern coast, the Navy confirmed.
What is most shocking is that the corpses on the boat are most likely of Africans. These could have been people headed from Africa’s west coast to the Canary Islands in Spain. The 1,000-mile crossing to the Canary Islands is one of the most commonly used and dangerous routes to Europe for migrants from Africa.
Upon learning of the situation from an area fisherman, the Dominican Republic Navy (ARD) located the drifting vessel with the human remains approximately 10 nautical miles off the coast of Río San Juan. The remains were found in an advanced state of decomposition, alongside with 60 backpacks and 20 cell phones. Additionally, authorities found a backpack containing 12 packets of a substance believed to be either cocaine or heroin, among other belongings.
The seized substance was handed over to the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) for further analysis. The DNCD, in collaboration with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, will continue to investigate the origins and causes of this tragic maritime incident.
Identity documents from Senegal and Mauritania were discovered on the drifting boat, raising the possibility that the deceased may be Senegalese nationals. Senegal is located on the West Coast of Africa some 5,928 km off from the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic Navy reiterated its commitment to maritime security and the enforcement of laws in the nation’s waters. The Navy stated that it is working diligently to clarify the details of this incident.
Victor Alfonso Vásquez, Provincial Director of the Civil Defense in Espaillat, reported via telephone to the Listin Diario that they received news of the tragedy and immediately proceeded to the scene. “We just arrived and are assessing the situation,” he told Listín Diario.
The human remains have been transported to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) in María Trinidad Sánchez for identification.
The discovery has stunned residents of Río San Juan and Gaspar Hernández. The former mayor of Cabrera, Marlon Arias, confirmed to Listin Diario that the boat was brought ashore and that the forensic analysis has begun. Arias also mentioned that the forensic doctor assessed the quantity and conducted an on-site examination of the boat.
The investigation is ongoing, with efforts being concentrated at La Cantera beach, situated between Gaspar Hernández and María Trinidad Sánchez, near Río San Juan.
The Dominican Navy has announced that it is intensifying its investigation into this incident. Emergency response teams, including Inacif, the Navy, Civil Defense, Criminal Investigation Agency (Dicrim), and the Red Cross, were all involved in the response.
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7 August 2024