DATE: 2023-04-18 02:30 LOCATION: Honduras – Roatan – Coxen Hole EVENT: Assault HAND: 1 STOLEN ITEMS: Cash, backpack, cellphone SECURED: Not Locked DETAILS: A yacht anchored alone in Coxen Hole. On the second night at 0230HRS two masked and armed men boarded through the lit cockpit/open companionway. They proceeded to tie the crew at gunpoint with braided shoelaces they had brought with them and covered their victim’s face with a tshirt. They ransacked the forward cabin briefly and took cash, a phone and a backpack they had emptied. The boarders spoke a non-Spanish local language and were onboard for only 3-5 minutes before leaving the scene with their accomplices in a panga. The crew was not injured.
A police report was made. No forensics were collected.
STOLEN ITEMS: nothing of value SECURED: DETAILS: PRELIMINARY REPORT – A yacht crew was awoken by their dog when they were boarded by 2 men armed with guns and knives. A fight ensued, and the 3 crew sustained numerous cuts and bruises. The thieves departed without anything of value. A VHF call for assistance was made, with no response. The local police were called but were slow to respond. No further details are currently available.
CSSN NOTE: We will update this report when victims are able to make a firsthand report.
UPDATED REPORT :
This report has been updated with the assistance of the victims.
At 0015HRS on their second night in the bay, the three crew onboard an anchored monohull were boarded and assaulted by 2 masked/hooded men, one armed with a gun. They awoke to their dog barking as the men entered through the unlocked companionway. A vigorous fight ensued in both the salon and cockpit as the crew attempted to defend themselves with their fists and a winch handle. Two times the masked gunman attempted to discharge his semiautomatic handgun at the crew, but it failed to fire. The two ejected cartridges were recovered later, and showed no dents in the casings.
The 2 assailants abandoned the fight and departed when they realized they were outnumbered and unable to successfully fire their semiautomatic handgun. They had been onboard for about 5 minutes. They jumped into the water, leaving behind the kayak they had stolen earlier from another yacht. The bloodied crew was badly shaken and made multiple calls for help on VHF16, but there was no response. They sounded a loud alarm and began yelling from the deck, but no one anchored or ashore made any response to their calls for help. Phone calls to the police went unanswered. They treated their injuries and waited for daylight.
Later that day a police report was made with assistance ashore from a local business. The crew learned that the police website information was incorrect and had not been updated. The yacht departed to Linton Bay where their yacht was searched the next morning by the police with assistance from Aeronaval. No forensics were collected. That night at 2230HRs a large contingent of officers returned with a court order and again searched the victims yacht very thoroughly for several hours. Again, no forensics were collected.
A report was made to the captain’s home country consulate, and the victims departed Panama.
Preparing to transit the Panama canal eastbound, a cruising monohull with 4 persons onboard anchored in Las Perlas at about 1100HRS. No other boats were nearby. Just after dark at about 1930HRS four young Spanish speaking men armed with guns and machetes boarded from a quiet (paddled) but motorized panga. One crew member took the handheld VHF and locked themselves into the head, and activated DSC. The door was immediately broken down, the radio silenced and taken from the crew. One crew member was hit over the head and back with a pistol and all were made to lie on the floor at gunpoint while the yacht was aggressively ransacked. Much damage was done to the yachts interior cabinets, doors, and drawers. The cables to the radios and autopilot display were cut.
The thieves were onboard for approximately 1.5 hours and stole cash, wallets, electronics, phones, jewelry, foul weather gear, lifejackets, clothing, alcohol and fuel jugs containing gasoline. A full inventory has not been completed.
The dog was missing and presumed to have been pushed overboard or taken. After searching unsuccessfully for the dog for about 20 minutes and confirming the yacht was safely operable, they departed for Panama City. On arrival a crew member was taken for medical care and a report was made to Aeronaval. No forensics were taken at that time.
The US consulate was advised of this event and a full report is planned.
This is the second cruising yacht boarded/assaulted in Las Perlas recently. See the prior incident here.
UPDATE 4/1/2023 : Aeronaval has located the missing dog, Stella, found on the island of Mina. She will be reunited with the victims/owners. The investigation continues.
DATE: 2023-02-07 00:30 LOCATION: Saint Martin (France) – Marigot Bay EVENT: Assault HAND: 2 STOLEN ITEMS: phones and electronics SECURED: N/A DETAILS:
A yacht was boarded by 3 men armed with guns armed at 0030HRS. The family was robbed of phones and electronics. The captain was pistol whipped.
The police were contacted, but were unable to provide timely transport so the victims used their own dinghy and proceeded immediately to the hospital for medical treatment. A full police report was made.
No further details are currently available.
CSSN NOTE: If you are a victim , or encounter a victim, please encourage a (firsthand) CSSN report. The online form is available here, and privacy is assured. ID: 2976
DATE: 2022-12-18 03:00 LOCATION: Saint Lucia – Pitons EVENT: Assault HAND: 2 STOLEN ITEMS: Mobile phones (other : unknown, to be updated) SECURED: N/A DETAILS: PRELIMINARY REPORT : At 0300HRS a charter catamaran on a SMMA park mooring at Pitons was boarded by six(6) men armed with machetes and robbed of cellphones , plus other items tbd. It is not known if there were any injuries. A report was made to the SMMA park rangers. Further details expected when the charter returns to its base on Monday, December 19.
CSSN UPDATE : 19 December – The charter company has refused to provide any details or contact information for the victims. If you are a victim, please complete the CSSN online incident report so that others can understand the facts about what did/did not occur.
This is the 5th reported violent incident in the Soufriere/Pitons area in the last 5 months, see CSSN incidents 2894, 2897, 2876 and 2848.
Patrols are reported to have been recently put in place, but were clearly not an effective deterrent in this latest case.