A tourist has been reported missing after he went kayaking Tuesday, May 18th, a reliable source stated. Additional information is that local authorities are investigating and searching for the missing individual. The search continues with the help of the Belize Coast Guard. We will continue following this developing report.

San Pedro Sun

The Coast Guard has found a body in the waters off the southwestern tip of the island. 27 year old Aravind Srinivasan, an Indian National tourist visiting Caye Caulker went kayaking on May 18th at 4:00 pm and did not return. Searches were launched sometime after, and a body was found a short while ago. Authorities are presently trying to confirm the identity.

Missing tourist, Aravind Srinivasan, found dead in Caye Caulker

Members of the Belize Coast Guard, including the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, reported that Srinivasan’s body was found southwest of the island. According to an official police report, after the tourist went missing, a fisherman found a canoe/kayak later identified as the one Srinivasan was in. Other personal belongings found included the deceased cell phone and slippers. Police have reported no foul play. The investigation continues.

Some islanders question the response of authorities to initiate search efforts. The coast guard was allegedly not informed immediately about the missing person, and other rescue teams in the area were not aware of the incident. According to an unofficial report, the hotel owner where Srinivasan was staying made the report to the police the same day his guest went missing. The hotel owner apparently looked for Srinivasan after police allegedly told him they could not accompany him. Although some Hicaqueños believe the search efforts were lacking, police and the coast guard ramped up their operations on Thursday and found the tourist’s lifeless body.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

Tourist Died On Ill-Fated Kayaking Trip

Only a day after arriving in Belize, an Indian tourist was reported missing in Caye Caulker. The tourist, 29-year-old Aravind Srinivasan went out kayaking and never returned.

After a few days of searching, the police and the coast guard found his body just before 1 this afternoon. Courtney Menzies has this story.

27-year-old Aravind Srinivasan, an Indian National from Chennai, had been vacationing in Belize since May 16th - but his vacation turned deadly when he went out on kayaking adventure.

The owner of the hotel he was staying reported to police that Srinivasan had left on May 17th at 4:00 pm. Since then, both the cops and the Coast Guard have been searching for him. At first, all they found was his phone resting on top of his slippers.

This afternoon, the police gave us a brief update.

"Yesterday's date, Caye Caulker police received information about an Indian National who went kayaking in front of Caye Caulker village. As a result, the owner of the hotel where this national was staying became alarm and concern that he had not returned from when he left on Monday. As a result, police did a search in the area, however, it yielded nothing. A fisherman that was in the nearby area observed a canoe and he pull it and handed it over to the police in Caye Caulker. That canoe has been identified as the same one that the tourist had rented from the hotel. This morning police went at about 8 miles from Caye Caulker searching in the immediate area where the canoe was located but up to now the person has not been located."

That interview was done at 12:30pm - and less than 30 minutes later, Srinivasan's body would be found in the waters off the southwest tip of Caye Caulker. He was identified by the hotel owner. Now, police have to do a post-mortem codetermine if he drowned or if foul play was involved.

Police have been in contact with his family through the Indian Embassy.

Srinivasan was scheduled to depart the country on June 15th

Channel 7

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Kayaker Found Dead Off La Isla Cariñosa

It was a tragic end to the search for a visitor to Caye Caulker when the body of Aravind Krishna Srinivasan was found this afternoon.  He had gone kayaking on Monday, but never returned to the island.  News Five’s Paul Lopez was in Caye Caulker today when there was still hope he might be found alive.

Paul Lopez

“We are standing in front of the Tropical Palm Hostel in Caye Caulker Village. This is where twenty-seven-year-old Aravind Krishna was staying when he disappeared.”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division

“Yesterday’s date, Caye Caulker Police received information of an Indian national who went kayaking in front of Caye Caulker village. As a result, the owner of this hotel where this national was staying became alarmed and concerned that he had not returned on Monday.”

According to the Chairlady of the Caye Caulker Village Council, the young man was checking out his surrounding like many visitors.

Voice of: Seleny Villanueva-Pott, Chairlady, Caye Caulker Village Council

“He was out exploring. Normally like what most tourists would do when they are on the island. Well, for some reason he has not returned.”

On Wednesday, a fisherman came across Krishna’s kayak, slippers and iPhone. These items were discovered eight miles off the island. We met police at the hostel when we got there. They were loading items believed to be Krishna’s possessions onto a golf cart to be taken into police custody.

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“This morning police went about eight miles from Caye Caulker searching in the immediate area where the canoe was located.”

Police were accompanied by Coast Guard officers in that search. Triple R’s quick response team was also planning a fly over in the area. Simultaneously, the officer in command at Caye Caulker Christopher Noble was holding meetings on the island. Even after three days missing, the island community was hopeful the missing guest would be found alive.

Voice of: Seleny Villanueva-Pott

“Well we remain positive. Despite of everything we remain positive.”

By 1:30 p.m., that hope was dashed. Krishna’s lifeless body was discovered southeast of the Island.

Voice of: Seleny Villanueva

“Accidents do happen. Being in the middle of a pandemic and Caye Caulker is a tourism destination, this is somewhat of an unfortunate incident where this gentleman went missing. There was no way we could have stopped this one from happening.”

Channel 5