Dominican Republic trying to identify the remains of 14 decomposed bodies found on abandoned vessel
Forensic authorities in the Dominican Republic are working to identify the remains of at least 14 mostly decomposed bodies found on an abandoned vessel 10 nautical miles of its northern coast
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Forensic authorities in the Dominican Republic worked Wednesday to identify the remains of at least 14 mostly decomposed bodies found on an abandoned vessel 10 nautical miles of its northern coast.
The Dominican Republic Navy said the 14 skeletons appeared to belong to individuals from Senegal and Mauritania, according to the documentation found next to the bodies.
Authorities are also working to determine the cause and time of the deaths and whether 12 packages of a substance found on the boat contained illicit drugs, presumably cocaine or heroin.
Cell phones and geolocation devices were also found on the boat, the Navy said.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to the European Union territory is one of the most dangerous in the world. Boats that miss their destination can be swept away by Atlantic trade winds and currents from east to west, drifting for months. Migrants aboard often die of dehydration and malnutrition. Others have also been known to jump into the ocean out of desperation.
An Associated Press investigation published last year revealed that in 2021, at least seven boats from northwest Africa had been found in the Caribbean and Brazil, all carrying dead bodies.
The bodies found Tuesday in the Dominican Republic are being analyzed by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) in Santiago, the country's second largest city and near where the discovery was made, said Nairobi Viloria, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office.
Meanwhile, the substance found next to the bodies is being analyzed in laboratories operated by the country's anti-drug agency, said Carlos Devers, a spokesman for the National Directorate of Drug Control.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.