Canadian man found dead in drifting catamaran near Belize coast - Here's why police are investigating the boat as a possible crime scene

A Canadian man was found dead on a boat near the coast of Belize, and police are now treating the vessel as a possible crime scene, reported CTV News. Authorities say the body showed apparent wounds and was already in a state of decomposition when the boat was recovered. The drifting catamaran was first reported in distress outside Belize’s waters before eventually entering the country’s jurisdiction. A cruise ship rescued a woman who was on board, but the man’s body remained on the vessel. Investigators are examining the boat and speaking with the victim’s family as they work to determine exactly what happened.

In an interview posted online by radio station Love FM, as quoted by CTV News Canada, the commandant of the Belize Coast Guard said authorities were first alerted on Monday about a boat in trouble. However, at that time the vessel was outside Belize’s territorial waters, so it was not yet under their control.



According to CTV News, Commandant Gregory Soberanis said the drifting boat later encountered a cruise ship, which managed to rescue a woman who was on board. The ship, however, was unable to take the body of the man. A few days later, the boat drifted into Belize’s waters. Authorities then located it and towed it to shore.

Francis Usher, CEO of the Belize Ministry of National Defence, said police are treating the vessel as a possible crime scene, reported CTV News. He explained that investigators noticed visible wounds on the body, which was already in a state of decomposition.

Usher also said the man’s son has traveled to Belize and is now speaking with both the Coast Guard and police while making arrangements to take his father’s body back home. According to investigators, the son told authorities that his father left about a week ago with a woman from Livingston before the incident occurred.

"There are apparent wounds on the body of the father and the female was in distress and boarded the cruise ship. So, just to have further details onto what exactly happened, I think further investigation is necessary," Usher said as quoted by CTV News.

"The Coast Guard will secure the vessel as long as the police department needs to conduct their investigation. We will play a supporting role in any way that they need, but this is primarily a law enforcement operation at this time," Usher further said.