Police in St. Vincent (SVG) on Tuesday said several passports, which appear to be associated with the Republic of Mali, a West African nation, were recovered among 11 bodies in the vessel that was discovered at Little Bay, Canouan, St. Vincent.
It is not clear if there is any link to two separate migrant boats, one carrying around 80 people, including 25 from Mali, which sank off the coast of Morocco in December of 2024, or the migrant vessel which was heading for Italy in April, 2025, and sank; the latter was carrying citizens of Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Mali.
St Vincent police say the vessel, which was discovered on Monday, May 26, measures 45 feet in length, 12 feet in width, and six feet in depth. It bears no name.
“The remains were in an advanced state of decomposition, and some were not fully intact. Several passports were recovered at the scene, which appear to be from the Republic of Mali, a country located in West Africa. At this stage, no official identification of the deceased individuals has been confirmed”, police stated.
Videos from Canouan on Monday showed different-coloured clothing, shoes, bags, life vests, and pieces of human bones scattered across the beach where the boat was found.
A police statement on Tuesday said the remains were transported to mainland Saint Vincent, where they are being kept at the Kingstown Mortuary, pending further forensic and investigative procedures.
St Vincent police say the matter is an active, ongoing investigation and will provide further updates.
