During a press conference on Monday, Royal Grenada Police Force Commissioner Don McKenzie suggested that the American couple allegedly hijacked by escaped prisoners while on their yacht in Grenada were likely thrown overboard. The commissioner stated that information indicates the escapees disposed of the couple while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent, approximately 80 miles away.
Despite ongoing investigations, the police have been unable to definitively ascertain the current status or whereabouts of the couple, Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry. McKenzie expressed a glimmer of hope that they might still be found alive, albeit acknowledging the low probability.
This update comes amidst a thorough investigation by Caribbean authorities into the disappearance of the American couple, while their family prepares for the grim possibility that they may have been killed. The couple, known members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, were pursuing their dream of cruising the Caribbean aboard their yacht, Simplicity. However, the vessel was discovered abandoned off the coast of St. Vincent, with no sign of the husband and wife.
Authorities revealed that a trio of prisoners had escaped custody in Grenada on February 18, only to be recaptured three days later. Evidence suggests that these escapees hijacked the yacht and potentially harmed its occupants while fleeing to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Efforts are underway to collaborate with US representatives in Grenada and conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, the suspects involved in the hijacking are cooperating with investigators, with possibilities of examining potential police collusion or systemic failures leading to the escape.
The families of Brandel and Hendry, seasoned boaters with close ties to their local Christian community, have received an outpouring of support from loved ones and the boating community.
