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Colombia – four incidents reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-05-27 04:15

LOCATION: Colombia – San Andres – San Andres Harbor

EVENT: Attempted Robbery

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: None – Not Successful

SECURED: Not Locked

DETAILS:

After several weeks in the anchorage with several other occupied boats nearby, owners heard noise and discovered 2 men onboard their boat at 0415HRS. The leader was armed with a handgun and pointed it into the dark and unlocked companionway. The captain surprised and challenged him and the second man retreated immediately to join a third man who started the engine in their waiting speedboat. The leader also retreated when he apparently realized his companions might leave him behind. The attempted robbery was not successful, nothing was taken, and there were no injuries. The crew shot off a flare to illuminate the departing criminals and immediately contacted authorities ashore. The police tracked the speedboat and detained a suspect. They recovered a weapon that is being tested for forensics. A formal report was made the next day to the Police and Port Captain as well as the Coast Guard and Navy. An investigation is underway.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-05-19 22:00

LOCATION: Colombia – Isla Tortuguilla

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Cell phones, laptops, outboard and small items.

SECURED: Does not Apply

DETAILS:

A yacht transiting from Panama to Cartagena anchored late in the day to overnight at Isla Tortuguilla. There were no other boats anchored there. They closed up and locked the boat for the night. At 2200HRs several men armed with automatic weapons arrived in an open boat with 40HP outboard and boarded. The captain reluctantly opened up and the men ransacked the yacht. They collected valuables and then with a blast of gunfire forced all of the crew into the open boat and took them ashore where they were held hostage at gunpoint overnight. The crew was treated roughly but there were no physical injuries. The youngest crew member was handcuffed and then “interviewed” by the leader. The thieves seemed to think
 the crew was involved in drug smuggling, but found no drugs. They made it clear visitors were not welcome. The next morning, the thieves returned the hostages to the yacht and released them, and stole the outboard engine.
The crew departed and plans to make a report to their consular officials.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-12-22 22:30

LOCATION: Colombia – Santa Marta – Taganga Bay

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Everything – electronics ( InReach, laptop, phones ), cash, tools +++

SECURED: Does not Apply

DETAILS:

A yacht anchored alone in the bay was boarded by four masked men each armed with a handgun at 2230HRS. The captain was pistol whipped and crew held at gunpoint while the boat was ransacked. The attackers demanded the drugs they thought were onboard. They stole electronics
(inReach, laptop, phones), cash and jewelry, plus other assorted items.
The thieves were unable to steal the well secured dinghy as the keys were lost in the mess they created. Some of the thieves paddled their unpowered boat ashore to unload the stolen items and returned for more and their companions. The entire event lasted about an hour. The captain self-treated his head wounds. A report to consular officials was planned and the boat left the bay.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-12-29 08:00

LOCATION: Colombia – Offshore

EVENT: Piracy

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Batteries, cables, sails, fenders +++

SECURED: Does not Apply

DETAILS:

A singlehander departed Santa Marta, Colombia, for the San Blas Islands (Panama) and was attacked by pirates about 5 miles offshore Barranquilla, Colombia. The 3 pirates boarded and attacked the
 captain, beating him and then stabbing him with a knife they found onboard. They made 3 trips to his boat over a few hours time and stole many things including batteries, cables, sails, blocks, fenders +++ and they destroyed electronics. The captain was able to make phone contact with a friend in his home country between visits and they contacted their local rescue authorities who then made contact with the Colombian Coast Guard. The injured captain continued to repel the pirates’ later visits with a hammer and flares and cut a line they were using in an attempt to tow him toward shore. The pirates finally gave up.

The Colombian Coast Guard arrived at the yacht about 30 minutes after the final visit by the pirates and provided assistance and then towed the yacht back to Santa Marta marina where the captain was taken by ambulance to the hospital, treated and kept overnight.

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Honduras – two incidents reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

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 t-shirt. 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.

The yacht departed later the same day.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-04-20 07:30

LOCATION: Honduras – Offshore

EVENT: Attempted Piracy

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: N/A

SECURED: Does not Apply.

DETAILS:

A yacht transiting north from Providencia, Colombia to Caymans traveled in stealth mode (no lights, AIS Tx) overnight and observed a large fishing vessel on radar. At 0730HRS at position 15°16.095N 81° 12.270W, approximately 100 miles off the coast, they had visually sighted the large steel vessel to port and it was tracking back and forth in a small area.

As the yacht continued on its northerly course they noted the fishing vessel had altered course and was now moving on a parallel course but closing the gap. The vessel attempted VHF communications with a trailing buddy boat and the fishing vessel repeatedly jammed their communications by continuously clicking over them. The buddy boats began using satellite texts.

At a distance of about 1 mile the fishing vessel again altered course to intercept
 directly and put on speed, large amounts of dark smoke were now billowing from its exhaust. The buddy boat issued a pan pan and the yacht activated their Iridium SOS feature and began voice communications with the emergency response team that included the USCG, Colombian Coast Guard and the Nicaraguan military.

None had assets in the immediate area but maintained continuous voice contact with the crew. The yacht put on all possible speed with sails and engine and turned sharply southeast, and the fishing vessel continued to follow at speed. At 8+knots the yacht was able to slowly increase the separation and after some time the fishing vessel gave up the pursuit, it remained in the area for several hours. Both
 yachts left the area and returned south.

A full report will be made by the crew at their next port of entry.

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Panama – one incident reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-03-26 00:15

LOCATION: Panama – Portobello

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

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 semi-automatic 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 semi-automatic 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.

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St. Kitts and Nevis – one incident reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-04-29 20:00

LOCATION: Saint Kitts and Nevis – Offshore

EVENT: Suspicious Activity

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: N/A

SECURED: N/A

DETAILS:

A single-handed sailing yacht was on passage from the BVIs to the Grenadines. At approximately 18:00HRS the captain noticed a ship on AIS that had reduced speed, decreasing the CPA to less than 500 meters. AIS indicated the vessel was registered in Venezuela. Visibility was poor and the captain went dark, turning off AIS transmit and all lights . He then changed course to pass about 3 miles behind the vessel. The yacht monitored VHF 16 but no radio contact was made by the vessel.

At 20:00HRS, the captain heard the sound of an auxiliary boat bouncing off the waves in the distance. It was doing a search pattern, and coming steadily closer. It had no running lights. At this point the yacht was passing astern of the larger vessel at a distance of about 3.5 miles. The captain noted his position at 20:05HRS:    17° 06.0220′ N 063° 51.9680′ W, about 60 miles east of St. Kitts.
 At about 20:45HRS the auxiliary vessel passed the yachts stern, travelling in the direction of the ship, which was visible at a distance of six or seven miles to the north-east. It did not return and the yacht continued without incident to the Grenadines.

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St. Lucia – one incident reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-06-13 00:05

LOCATION: Saint Lucia – Anse Canaries

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Cash, tablet, phone, VHF radios, all clothing and food, chartplotter and GPS, epoxy
resin and hardener, earphones, backpack, dinghy/9.8HP Tohastu

SECURED:  Not Locked

DETAILS:

UPDATED REPORT:  The victim has provided additional detail. This report replaces the original second hand report previously published.
A singlehander anchored in Anse Canaries between 1700-1800HRS, there were no other yachts in the anchorage. He was awakened with a machete to his throat just after midnight. Three (3) young men had arrived by kayak and boarded the unlocked yacht. The captain complied with their demands, was 
threatened with death and then tied up by one of the 2 masked men. Over the course of 2 hours the men stole cash, electronics, all food and clothing and then departed in the yacht’s dinghy with the kayak in tow. The captain sustained minor injuries but was able to untie himself. The thieves had left behind the trackable Garmin In-Reach which the captain used to contact and inform family members, who then contacted Interpol who then engaged the local St. Lucia marine police. The yacht departed immediately but was met many miles offshore sometime later by the marine police. A verbal report was made and the yacht continued to its next port.

A full report was made with local officials on arrival and St. Lucian officials later that day. St. Lucian officials reported that they had recovered the dinghy/outboard ashore. An investigation was opened by St. Lucia police, and efforts are underway to get 
the dinghy/outboard back to the owner. CSSN will update this report if authorities make progress with arrest/prosecution.

NOTE: This is not the first recent instance of armed robbery in this bay, or nearby in the Soufriere/Pitons area. No arrests have been made in any of the earlier cases.

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St. Martin (France) – Two incidents reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

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 three 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.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-12-28 05:00

LOCATION: Saint Martin (France) – Sandy Ground Bridge

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 2

STOLEN ITEMS: Unknown

SECURED: Locked

DETAILS:

After stealing a flaregun/flares from another yacht, (see CSSN report 3189) five hooded men broke through the companionway of an occupied monohull and fired flares/smoke bombs into the cabin. A crew member
 used wasp spray to repel the attackers. The police were called and the Coast Guard summoned on VHF16. The police arrived about 45 minutes later and took a preliminary report. The captain received a head injury and was later treated/released from the hospital.

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St. Vincent and the Grenadines – two incidents reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-10-10 00:15

LOCATION: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – St. Vincent – Buccament Bay

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Cash, ring, binoculars, fishing/diving gear, large flashlight

SECURED:  Does not Apply

DETAILS:

This report replaces a previous PRELIMINARY 2nd hand report (3105) A yacht with two persons on board anchored alone in Buccament Bay, St. Vincent around 1000HRS. At
0015HRS they were boarded by two men, armed with a gun and a knife who broke through the companionway door. The crew was held at gunpoint (head) and knifepoint (back). The armed men ransacked (and damaged) the yacht before roughly taking a ring from the woman’s finger, which later
 required medical treatment. Also cash, binoculars, fishing/diving gear, and a large flashlight were stolen. After about an hour onboard the men left rowing a wooden boat. A report was made to the police and Coast Guard.

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Trinidad and Tobago – Two Incidents Reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-08-02 20:00

LOCATION: Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad – Scotland Bay

EVENT: Assault

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: cash, 2 phones, 1 tablet and all credit cards, dive mask

SECURED:  N/A

DETAILS:

A singlehander anchored his yacht in Scotland Bay, Trinidad. No other yachts were present. He purchased fish from a local fisherman. The fisherman returned again a few days later accompanied by a prostitute and again offered fish and also services. The services were declined and the 2 were invited onboard for a drink. The captain was knocked unconscious and awoke in a daze sometime later with severe head injuries. He asked the fisherman for help and assistance with transit to the hospital. The fisherman asked for money.

When the captain went below to get his wallet, he found that it had been emptied of all cash and credit cards, and realized he had been robbed. Also missing were 2 phones and a tablet. He asked the two to leave, and they departed. The captain managed to take his boat to Chaguaramas late that night and received assistance from other
 cruisers. He was taken immediately to the hospital and admitted.
 After discharge he returned to his yacht and a full report was made to the police, and later to his consulate.

Police have identified a suspect but have not been successful in locating/apprehending the man. He is also suspected in another incident of theft.  (see CSSN ALERT! 3088).  CSSN will as a matter of policy update this report if new information from the police is made available.

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SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-08-16 07:30

LOCATION: Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad – Chaguaramas – Anchorage

EVENT: Attempted Robbery

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: Not successful

SECURED:  Not Locked

DETAILS:

A fisherman boarded an anchored yacht uninvited while the captain was below in the galley. When the captain discovered his presence he pushed the intruder who dropped the items he had wrapped in a tshirt to steal and departed. The fisherman returned 5 minutes later with a 50cm knife and attempted to retrieve the tshirt/items but was again repelled by the captain. He again paddled away. The captain launched his dinghy and located the fisherman, then called the police. The police confiscated the knife and then took the fisherman away. The victim went to the police station and made a report. Police released the fisherman several hours later, and advised the victim that nothing had been taken so no actual charges were made.

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Venezuela – one incident reported

SOURCE: CSSN First Hand Incident Report

DATE: 2023-07-07 13:00

LOCATION: Venezuela – Offshore

EVENT: Suspicious Activity

HAND: 1

STOLEN ITEMS: N/A

SECURED:  Does not apply.

DETAILS:

At 1100HRS a yacht on passage from Grenada to Colombia was approximately 60 nmiles north of Los Roques,Venezuela at position 12-49.9N, 66-18.3W when the crew noticed that a fishing boat
had altered course and was on an intercept course and closing, for about 45 minutes. The fishing vessel GLADIADOR did not make radio contact and came within 200m before the yacht abruptly changed course and sail plan to attain maximum speed. The fishing vessel attempted to follow but was no longer able to close the distance, and gave up the pursuit. The yacht tracked the fishing vessel on radar for another 2 hours, before turning to resume their course towards Colombia, where they arrived safely a few days later.

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