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An American couple who had sailed from Virginia and had been wintering within the Caribbean went lacking this month whereas crusing from Grenada, and their boat washed up in neighboring St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Their disappearance occurred across the identical time that three males escaped from a jail in Grenada and fled by boat to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, authorities on these islands stated.
In an announcement, the Royal Grenada Police Power didn’t determine the 2 People, however stated it was investigating them for attainable hurt in reference to the prisoners' escape.
In response to the Salty Canine Crusing Affiliation, a non-profit that brings collectively crusing and cruising fans, a captain reported on February 21 {that a} member's yacht named Simplicity was anchored on a seashore on the south coast of St. Vincent. It was discovered dumped and deserted.
The captain boarded the catamaran and observed that its proprietor was not on board, the affiliation's assertion stated. The captain contacted the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard, who notified native police.
The affiliation and Ms. Brandell's son Nick Burrows recognized the lacking boat house owners as Ralph Hendry, 66, and Kathy Brandell, 71, who stated the couple, initially from Virginia, had been married for 27 years.
Mr Hendry and Ms Brandell had been skilled sailors who lived of their boat. In response to an announcement from the membership, they just lately accomplished their crusing membership's “Caribbean Rally” – closing out 2023 with a celebration touring from Hampton, Virginia to the island of Antigua – and they’ll spend the remainder of the winter crusing within the Caribbean. Had been spending. ,
The affiliation stated it had a monitoring map to observe members' boats and it confirmed the couple's boat, Simplicity, had been anchored in Grenada earlier than disembarking from St Vincent. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard secured the boat and the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Power, together with the U.S. Embassy and the Royal Grenadines Police Power, had been investigating, based on the affiliation's assertion.
Individually, the Royal Grenada Police Power stated in an announcement on February 22 that three males who escaped from a jail in Grenada on February 18 headed to St. Vincent utilizing a yacht that was moored within the St. George space of Grenada. , The drive stated the 2 folks on board the boat, whom it didn’t identify, had been US residents.
The prisoners had been recaptured on 21 February, the identical day because the couple's ship was discovered.
Grenada officers recognized the prisoners as Trayvon Robertson, 19; Abita Stanislaus, 25; and Ron Mitchell, 30.
They had been collectively charged in a violent theft case earlier in December. Grenada Police stated Mr Mitchell additionally confronted a number of separate costs together with inflicting hurt, indecent assault and rape.
In a joint household assertion on Saturday, Mr Burrows and Mr Hendry's son Brian Hendry thanked the maritime group for his or her assist and assist in the search, however requested them to face by.
“We’d additionally prefer to commend St. Vincent authorities for his or her immediate motion in securing Simplicity and their courageous fast response, which led to the seize of three harmful fugitives,” based on the household's assertion. It added: “We enormously respect the coordination of the St. Vincent and Royal Grenadian Police forces and coast guard within the investigation of those incidents.”
The Royal Grenada Police Power didn’t reply to inquiries on Sunday. The division stated within the launch that the investigation was “in its early phases” and {that a} staff of investigators and a forensic skilled had been despatched to St. Vincent.
Bob Osborne, president of the crusing membership, described the couple as form and succesful and described their disappearance as “a really disturbing incident”.
He added, “Our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the household who love them.”
A GoFundMe web page began by a household good friend to assist with prices associated to his disappearance described Mr. Hendry and Ms. Brandell as “seasoned adventurers” and stated they “sailed on their retirement Simplicity, Spent summers in New England cuddling and cuddling”. Caribbean winter heat.