Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers says investigators are now working to verify the identities of the Canadian divers who allegedly discovered what have been described on social media as human remains beneath the waters off Parham.
Speaking during a police press briefing on Thursday, Jeffers said one of the key priorities is determining whether Canadian researchers were in Antigua and Barbuda conducting deep-sea diving operations in the area where the alleged discovery was made.
“We are trying to touch base with the Canadian Consulate to find out which Canadians were doing the diving,” Jeffers said. “It would be a difficult task to simply go three nautical miles out and begin diving.”
The Commissioner explained that investigators must first establish who the divers are before determining the exact location of the alleged discovery.
“We must know who the divers are. The first thing is to find out from the Consulate if they had persons here doing deep-sea diving, and we can go from there,” he said.
Jeffers noted that once investigators obtain credible information about the location, the Royal Police Force, working alongside the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard, has the capability to carry out its own underwater search.
“We have divers who can dive, and we can get them to go down, and then we can take it from there,” he said.
“If it’s true, we can then ascertain who these people are if this is found to be true.”
The investigation stems from claims circulating on social media that several human remains were discovered approximately three nautical miles east of Parham Dock. The allegations, first shared by the Facebook page True Crimes Antigua, claimed the remains were found by divers accompanying Canadian researchers studying coral reefs.
The post further alleged that some of the remains were chained or had their feet shackled to cement buckets and large concrete columns, prompting widespread public concern and renewed anguish among families of missing persons.
Police have stressed that the claims remain unverified.
Last weekend, officers and members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard conducted an initial search of the reported area but were unable to identify the precise location described in the social media post.
Jeffers reiterated that investigators are treating the matter seriously and will continue to pursue every credible lead.
Police are again appealing to anyone with firsthand knowledge of the alleged discovery, including the divers involved or anyone able to identify the exact location, to come forward and assist the investigation.
Authorities say obtaining accurate information is critical before a comprehensive underwater search can be undertaken.
Hope the authorities get the help they need and uncover the truth. Many families are still waiting for answers
Thanks to the police and commissioner for working feverishly into these matters.
Me r… today a Friday and this news article did not say , police have met with the people who allegedly discovered dead bodies in the water off Parham and are in the process of recovering the bodies.. A since last weekend me a hear about this .. wa ca go so…
Well me sure them people done leave the country..
Think about it
Would you stay in a country that you discovered an illegal burial ground and reported it to the police and they didn’t even care to take you seriously..
I would get the hell out of that country to protect myself from potential harm for my discovery..
Mr Prime Minister you need to demand better from the police force this nah sound good under your watch…..
So, WHO made the Police report? Did these alleged divers not pass through Immigration and leave records? Therefore, why would the cops need to TRY to contact the Canadian Embassy?
I dont believe that story
Them police continue to make a fool of themselves everywhere they go
They left the country now the police trying to find them though their consulate in Canada? Hmmmmmmmmm how about check their names at the airport? Listen we are a bunch of dunce people you hear
If is one thing i will never trust, is police… and the ocean… Diving? hell to the no..
also, DGisele made a good point, where’d the info come from to get to the police? shouldn’t be hard to find out that “X” amount of canadians came to Antigua in “X” time period, and “X” of them are in “X” hotel or whatever, track em down, there’s records almost everywhere, and am sure they can get access to it if they investigate in the proper channels
I never believed that stupid story in the first place
i feel as if they take us for a ride with that one lol