Guadeloupe: French investigation begins after the sinking of a migrant boat between Antigua and St. Kitts

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AFP: The public prosecutor of Pointe-à-Pitre opened an investigation for manslaughter on Wednesday after the sinking of a boat registered in Guadeloupe carrying African migrants, which caused the death of three people and the disappearance of 13 others.

A “boat registered in Guadeloupe” capsized on Tuesday “off the coast of Saint Kitts and Nevis” , islands located north of the Guadeloupe archipelago.

The circumstances of the accident are “still poorly determined” , but the capsize “caused the death of three people and the disappearance of 13 others” , according to a provisional report, said prosecutor Patrick Desjardins in a press release.

Mr. Desjardins has opened an investigation for “manslaughter by deliberate breach of a security obligation, involuntary injuries by deliberate breach of a security obligation, trafficking in human beings in an organized gang”, he said on Wednesday.

“The identity of the victims, who are not French-speaking, and their nationalities could not at this time be determined with certainty ,” the same source said.

The boat, whose “owner is a French national residing in Guadeloupe” , carried “32 passengers” , still indicates the press release from the prosecution.

The investigation was jointly entrusted to the research section of the Guadeloupe gendarmerie and the maritime gendarmerie.

The Martinique branch of CROSS Antilles-Guyane has been actively involved since Tuesday in search operations jointly with the authorities of Saint-Kitts and Nevis .

A French ship is engaged in the area and on Wednesday, a Dutch coast guard plane flew over the area. He will be relayed in the afternoon by a French customs plane.

The two cruise ships hijacked on Tuesday to rescue the shipwrecked have left the area, said the prefecture of Martinique.

The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, had expressed on social media on Tuesday “his deep sorrow at the loss of life and the distress suffered by those aboard a vessel which illegally left Antigua -and-Barbuda earlier today, Tuesday, March 28 for an unknown destination, which capsized on the high seas”.

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Drip, drip … drip, as more and more information is being revealed, it looks like a web that is stretching far and wide. Wow!

    Hopefully, Gaston Browne and his cronies will now address the nation, so that they can now give some sort of clarification on this mess – because their SILENCE is coming across as COMPLIANCE!

    GASSY, COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU DEY!

    Lives have been needlessly lost!

    • When you’re involved in unscrupulous activities the less you say the better — these people knows that.
      The mastermind at the top have lackeys to do the dirty work — kind of like a pyramid scheme where the bottom has no idea who’s at the top.
      Invariably, the top doesn’t get fingured in the unlawful activities — unless, the bottom has evidence that can take down the middle leading to the top. I’m not expecting to see any Antiguan official gets named in this mess, though I firmly believe some had to be involved.

      This morning on Jacqui Quinn’s show a very interesting interview took place with an Embassador. Anyone who didn’t hear it, it’s worth listening to.

  2. In less than one week, authorities in Guadeloupe started an investigation into the tragic event of the capsized boat that was smuggling African natives from Antigua to USVI.

    That’s is how a real civilized country handle affairs

    When will the cartoon country of Antigua commence an investigation?

    Question to the comedy Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda

  3. Went into the General Post Office today April 3, 2023and was shocked to see they still have up a sign on the concrete columns saying the post office will be closed on February 23, 2023 for staff members to attend a funeral.

  4. We can only hope the French interrogators get accurate information from these additional human traffickers and will be able to follow the money trail.

    Under Porkston Browne and her entire ABLP regime, she is fully responsible for the latest and now international debacle. Many of us predicted dealing with the Nigerians was a bad move as they are know all over the world to be the scammers of scammers. Porkston Browne feeling she so big and could get even more illicit funds with her creative enrichment scheme hatched a plan. Well look how her plan backfired and now has caused an international scene. Now she, Porkston Browne, is trying to back peddle and say she isn’t at fault. Who then is at fault? If Porkston Browne didn’t try to scam the scammers none of this would be happening. Flights came and left our country in the middle of the night after normal airport operations. Is Porkston Browne trying to say she had no clue this was happening? And what about Yearwood, the person in charge of the Immigration Dept? Why did she allow them to enter our country without the proper paperwork? Seems like she was told by high ups to do just that. She needs to be fully investigated.

    Porkston Browne and her entire regime (ABLP had all but one seat) are to blame for this debacle of international proportions. She and her party do not represent we the people, they are representing themselves. Where are those 10 passports that have been given away just like that? Those passports should be made null and void immediately. If this isn’t human trafficking, then what exactly is human trafficking?

    All those involved especially Porkston Browne need to be removed from office immediately before they cause even further and irreparable damage to Antigua and its people. A No Confidence vote must be called to save our integrity not only for our people but among the international community.

    For two terms Porkston Browne has been practicing creative enrichment scheme and it is time we the people put a stop to all this before it’s too late. She does not represent what the majority of our people here want. A No Confidence Vote must be called.

    Save our country, Antigua. Call a No Confidence Vote. Porkston Browne et al ABLP must go.

    • 1000% in agreement @ Parkstone!

      Gaston Browne isn’t Antigua & Barbuda, he is a servant of Antigua & Barbuda, and he’s not up to it – never has!

      RESIGN NOW, YOU’VE SHOWN YOU ARE NOT UP TO THE TASK GET OUT!!!

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