SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥 Authorities in the eastern Caribbean said they were trying to locate two people believed to be U.S. citizens who were aboard a yacht that was hijacked by three escaped prisoners from Grenada.
The Royal Grenada Police Force said in a statement released Friday that they were working on leads 鈥渢hat suggest鈥 the two occupants of the yacht might have been killed.
鈥淭his investigation is in its infancy stage,鈥 police said.
The nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association identified the owners as Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel. It said they were 鈥渧eteran cruisers鈥 and longtime members of the association, calling them 鈥渨armhearted and capable.鈥 A relative of Hendry didn't return a message seeking comment Saturday.
The association said a cruising skipper had contacted the association about a member鈥檚 yacht, Simplicity, that was found 鈥渁nchored and abandoned鈥 off a beach on the island of St. Vincent.
鈥淭he good Samaritan had boarded the boat and noted that the owners 鈥 were not onboard and found evidence of apparent violence,鈥 the association said in a statement Thursday.
The association said Hendry and Brandel had sailed the yacht in last year鈥檚 Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, and were spending the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean.
鈥淭his is a very upsetting event and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event,鈥 said Bob Osborn, the association鈥檚 president. 鈥淚n all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this.鈥
Family members of those missing met with authorities in St. Vincent on Saturday, where they were seen boarding the yacht that was hijacked. It was being guarded by officials, one of whom was wearing latex gloves.
Hendry鈥檚 family issued a statement Saturday thanking police, local coast guards and all those who helped authorities gather information.
鈥淚t means so much to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Kathy as friends and fellow cruisers that they are willing to stop and help in whatever way possible,鈥 the family said.
They also asked that all those trying to conduct independent searches to 鈥渟tand down.鈥
鈥淭he only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches,鈥 the family said.
Authorities in Grenada said they had dispatched senior investigators and a forensic specialist to the nearby island of St. Vincent, where the escaped prisoners were arrested Wednesday.
The prisoners, ages 19, 25 and 30, were charged a couple of months ago with one count of robbery with violence. The eldest inmate also was charged with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape and two counts of indecent assault and causing harm, police in Grenada said.
The three men escaped from their holding cell Feb. 18, according to police.
Authorities said a preliminary investigation suggested the three men seized the yacht at Grenada's capital, St. George's, and traveled to St. Vincent.
