Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney told reporters at a press conference today Thursday that a French national named Alex Lamothe reported to the Bolans Police Station that his boat La Belle Michelle 2 was stolen.
The vessel fits the description and the name of the one used to transport 32 people to St Thomas but capsized on the way.
Rodney told a press conference today that the man from St Rose Guadeloupe told police that the vessel’s interior is blue, while its exterior is orange.
The fishing boat he said is 10.9 m long and 2.5 m wide with two Suzuki 250 engines.
“He reported that he came to Antigua on the 25th and the morning of the 28th, somewhere around 8:30 he discovered the boat missing. So, we started to investigate the report that was made by him. He was interviewed and several pieces of information were gathered from him. And then we immediately started to speak to our colleagues in Saint Kitts,” Rodney said.
Commissioner Rodney said police have been engaged in dialogue with investigators in St Kitts ever since.
“If this boat was in Antigua and then reported missing, how did it get over there? What we have done so far is get as much information in terms of when the boat came. And in the initial stage of the investigation, we can verify the boat came to Antigua as a fishing vessel on the 25th. And there is information as to when it left the Jolly Harbour area”, Rodney added.
Rodney said an active investigation is underway about the circumstances that led to the very tragic incident
The owner have to explain how the person /persons got the documents of the boat that they could have went ahead and got clearance.
This article kept stating that the boat was stolen 25th but did not mention what month. The press briefing in Saint Kitts stated that the boat was stolen from Guadeloupe in January 2023. What are the authorities in Antigua hiding from us? A stolen boat ended up in Antigua port and why the authority did ceased the boat and hauled it out of water, and pound it on dry land. Right now with this Africans boat capsize saga has my mind wondering about all those missing people from Antigua that gone without a trace. There are too much evil happening in and around our country. Lord Jesus, helps us we need You more than ever in these days. Too much people are vessels of Satan’s evil kingdom.
Something smelling fishy about that boat and it’s owner. Os he saying the boat was stolen with the doccuments on board? Come on now top cop U R more intelligent than that. Charge the boat owner and check the time that missing report was made yo the time it capsize