Gunmen kill one, injure another on yacht on Caribbean island
The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has apologised for the attack.
Caribbean newspapers and radio have reported the shooting death of a German national on board a yacht anchored in a popular mooring spot on St Vincent’s southwestern coast.
According to Barbados Today, two gunmen boarded the yacht in the early hours on 4 March and fatally shot a male occupant. The boat’s captain was also injured in the attack.
St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on local radio that he found the crime revolting and would be writing to express his sadness at the event to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“I have seen the other persons who were on the yacht and I have expressed to them our profound sorry and, on behalf of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, to say to them how sad we are at this event and that they are in our thoughts and our prayers,” Gonsalves said.
“Our people are not like this in the general way, but you have one or two persons; we have some home-grown criminals and some who come in from overseas who are selfishly and wickedly disturbing the peace and tranquility of our country, and, in this case, using violence.”
Gonsalves said his government was taking care of arrangements for all those affected, including flying the injured captain and others on board the yacht to Martinique in order to allow them to return to Europe.
Gonsalves, who is also the island chain’s minister of national security, praised the quick response of the Coast Guard in the incident and said the St Vincent government would be putting into place additional safety measures.
“We, obviously, and I have spoken to the [police] commissioner, have to strengthen certain security arrangements which we have in place in certain areas and to extend even further in other areas.”
Related links:
British tourist drowns after falling from tour boat in St Lucia
Yacht carrying mummified German sailor originally found by Clipper Round The World Race crew
Two German sailors kidnapped by armed pirates in Indonesia
Two German yachters have been kidnapped and their 20m yacht, Faraway, captured by armed pirates in Indonesia. A search is…
One pirate killed, four arrested after raid on hijacked ship
A group of pirates were arrested and one pirate was killed when the Nigerian army raided a hijacked oil tanker…
Warning after sailing vessels targeted by armed pirates
Two incidents of armed piracy against sailing vessels reported in the Caribbean in the last 10 days have prompted an…