At least 19 decomposing bodies discovered on boat drifting near eastern Caribbean nation

At least 19 badly decomposing bodies were found on a partially submerged fishing boat drifting at sea in the Caribbean last week, according to authorities.Investigators in St.Kitts and Nevis are probing the grim discovery after the eastern Caribbean country’s coast guard responded to a report of a vessel floating aimlessly in the water Wednesday morning, the Royal St.

Christopher and Nevis Police force said.The nearly 20 bodies were found aboard and the boat was towed back to St.

Kitts where police and medical officials are trying to find out more.“It was a fishing vessel, which is not typically found in the Caribbean,” Royal St.Christopher and Nevis Police Commissioner James Sutton told The Associated Press.“We are not certain, but we believe that this vessel originated off the West African coast.”The victims were all dead before they reached St.

Kitts and Nevis territorial waters and had been at sea for an extended period of time, police said.Some of the deceased appeared to be from Mali in West Africa, according to documents found on the vessel, police said.“The [Royal St.Christopher and Nevis Police Force] extends its deepest condolences to the families and communities affected by this tragedy,” the agency said.Authorities need to figure out how many bodies were actually aboard the boat and then identify the remains, Sutton said.

Then investigators will work to determine what caused the mass deaths.The arduous task will be made more difficult because of how decomposed the bodies were, he noted.“The RSCNPF is working diligently to confirm their identities and to understand the circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation,” the agency stated.The crime scene unit processed the scene and found some evidence it took into custody, according to authorities.With Post wires...