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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Police reports indicate that on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 11:30pm a male person called the station indicating that he was lost at sea. At 4:30a.m. today, Thursday, July 19, a 28-foot fishing boat was discovered docked beside Grand Caribe Resort, San Pedro Town.

Three male persons were found in the boat and were transported to the San Pedro Poly Clinic and are now receiving medical treatment. They were all identified as Jamaican fishermen of West Morland including 50-year-old Noel Samuels, 23-year-old Romeo Lewis and 44-year-old Karma Beckford.

Samuels, the boat captain, indicated that they departed from Lucy, West Moreland on June 23, 2018, around 12:00p.m. to go fishing 15 miles off the coast of Negril West Moreland. Samuels stated they were not in service area and started drifting off to open sea. It was after 25 days stranded at sea that they drifted to San Pedro, Belize.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun


Lost at sea, three Jamaican fishermen land on Ambergris Caye
A fishing trip out of Negril, Jamaica left three Jamaican Nationals stranded out at sea, drifting to Ambergris Caye on Thursday, July 19th. The trio was identified as 50-year-old Noel Samuels, 23-year-old Romeo Lewis, and 44-year-old Karma Beckford. They reportedly went out fishing off Negril, west Jamaica on June 23rd, but drifted out to the open sea until they arrived on Belizean shores. The trio was assisted by Belizean authorities and taken to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II for a medical check-up.



ADRIFT AT SEA FOR 25 DAYS, Jamaicans Wash Up in San Pedro

This week, 3 Jamaican fishermen are lucky to be alive after being stranded out at sea for 25 days and drifting into Belizean waters. The men, Noel Samuels, 50; Karma Beckford, 44; and Romeo Lewis, 23; left Westmoreland Parish in Southwestern Jamaica at around 12:00pm on June 23 in a 28-foot boat to do some fishing.


They had originally intended to only travel 15 miles off the coast of Negril, but began having problems and ended up drifting.

San Pedro Police got a call about the vessel showing up in Belizean waters around 11:30pm on Wednesday, and mobilized to check out the situation. By 4:30am on Thursday, they had the boat docked beside Grand Caribe Resort in San Pedro Town. Once docked, authorities took the men to the San Pedro Polyclinic.

The incident is not the first time a Jamaican fishing boat ended up drifting into Belizean waters. In April 2010, a Jamaican fishing boat with two occupants drifted into Belize. They had spent 35 days drifting at sea before being rescued and taken to the Belize Defence Force Hospital at the Price Barracks for treatment.

Up to press time the men were being treated at the San Pedro Polyclinic. It is not yet know what arrangements are being made to return them to Jamaica.

The Reporter


Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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(l-r) Noel Samuels, 50, Karma Beckford 44, and Romeo Lewis, 23)

After drifting ashore on Ambergris Caye, Jamaicans eager to get home

After landing on the shores of Ambergris Caye on Thursday, July 19th, three Jamaican Nationals remain stranded in Belize and hope to return home soon. The trio, 50-year-old Noel Samuels, 23-year-old Romeo Lewis and 44-year-old Karma Beckford spent eight additional days in San Pedro Town, housed at the international boat terminal behind the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex. They are desperate to get temporary travel documents to return to Jamaica and say they have received little assistance from Immigration authorities or the Honorary Consulate of Jamaica in Belize. The San Pedro Sun was informed by the Jamaican Consulate on Thursday, July 26th, that getting the travel documents will take a few more days. However, after arriving in Belmopan, they would take care of the trio until they are able to travel.

Diana Locke, Director of Immigration, visited them on Thursday, July 26th, stating that she had been in contact with the person in charge of the Jamaican Consulate in Belmopan. She assured them that all efforts were being made for them to be relocated to a better place while travel documents are obtained. The Consulate told The San Pedro Sun via a phone call that they plan to transport the trio to Belmopan where they will be housed and looked after. However, when we spoke to the Jamaicans, they indicated that they had been well up to now, thanks to the generous help of a few persons from the island. They were disappointed with the local authorities, who they believe have been moving very slow on the matter. They said that sourcing for a plane ticket back to Jamaica is no problem, what they need is travel documents.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Jamaicans who drifted ashore on Ambergris Caye are back home safe

Three Jamaican nationals, 50-year-old Noel Samuels, 23-year-old Romeo Lewis and 44-year-old Karma Beckford are happy to be back home after being lost at sea, drifting 25 days until arriving at the shores of Ambergris Caye. The trio went out fishing off the west coast of Jamaica on June 23rd, and after their boat developed a fault, they helplessly drifted away. They arrived on the northern coast of Ambergris Caye on July 19th and it was until July 26th, when they were finally transported to Belmopan City, where the Jamaican Honorary Consul made arrangements for their return back home.

According to Samuels, after being released from the hospital, they spent the night locked up in a prison cell at the San Pedro Police Station. The following day, Samuels, Lewis and Beckford, were taken out of the cell thanks to a member of Belize Immigration Department who took them to the International Boat Terminal, located by the lagoon behind the Honourable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex. They spent several days in the terminal, under guard and at the mercy of several island residents who assisted them with food and clothing. With the assistance of their family, Samuels and Beckford purchased their plane tickets, while Lewis had difficulty getting his and had to be assisted by the Consul. Finally, on Friday, August 3rd they managed to make their trip back home, flying from Belize City to Panama where they spent the night. The following day before midday, they landed in Kingston, Jamaica, where family and friends eagerly awaited for their arrival.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun



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