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A massive search for 3 missing American sailors off Mexico coast has been called off

Jonathan Franklin

The Mexican Navy searched for three Americans who went missing along with their sailboat off Mexico's northern Pacific coast. Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross were aboard the boat and have not been heard from since April 4, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. AP hide caption

The Mexican Navy searched for three Americans who went missing along with their sailboat off Mexico's northern Pacific coast. Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross were aboard the boat and have not been heard from since April 4, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The search for three Americans missing along with their sailboat off Mexico's northern Pacific coast since April 4 has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

In a news release Wednesday, the agency said the search was suspended pending "further developments" after SEMAR — the Mexican navy — and the Coast Guard spent roughly 280 hours searching Mexico's northern Pacific coast.

After searching nearly 200,000 square miles with no sign of the missing passengers and the missing sailing vessel, officials suspended the search.

"SEMAR and U.S. Coast Guard assets worked hand-in-hand for all aspects of the case. Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans' whereabouts or what might have happened," Coast Guard Cmdr. Gregory Higgins said.

U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican navy are searching for 3 missing American sailors

The three sailors — identified as Kerry O'Brien, Frank O'Brien and William Gross — reportedly left Mazatlán, a city on Mexico's west coast, aboard a 44-foot boat named Ocean Bound on April 4 and were headed to San Diego.

They planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas — roughly 224 miles from Mazatlán — on April 6 to report in before they continued their trip, the Coast Guard said. However, there was no record of the three mariners arriving in Cabo San Lucas nor a check-in of their location.

In an interview with San Diego TV station NBC 7 , the family of William Gross told the station they have not lost hope and that he and his sailing companions will be found.

"Our hope is for our Dad, and Kerry and Frank to be sailing into port soon, tired and sore, but safe," the Gross family said in a statement to the station. "And our hearts certainly go out to the other two families who are being equally impacted during this extremely difficult time."

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Search Halted for 3 Americans Missing Off the Mexican Coast

Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, who were sailing aboard the Ocean Bound, were last heard from near Mazatlán, Mexico, on April 4.

By Johnny Diaz

The search for three Americans who were reported missing two weeks ago, after sailing off the coast of Mexico to California, has been called off, the authorities in both countries said.

The U.S. Coast Guard in Alameda, Calif., said on Wednesday that the Mexican Navy, known as SEMAR, had informed the agency that it had suspended its search for the three people after an effort of a cumulative 281 hours covering just over 200,000 square nautical miles.

The missing people, a woman and two men identified as Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, were sailing aboard the Ocean Bound, a 44-foot La Fitte sailboat. They were last heard from on April 4, when they were near Mazatlán, Mexico, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

The three travelers had left Mazatlán on their way to San Diego, and they were scheduled to stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on April 6 to resupply the boat with provisions, according to the Coast Guard.

“However, they did not report in or arrive in Cabo San Lucas,” the Coast Guard said.

On Saturday, the Coast Guard shared information and photos of the missing sailors and the vessel.

The Coast Guard said that the search encompassed “an area larger than the state of California” off Mexico’s northern Pacific Coast, but that there were no signs of the missing boat or its passengers. The Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy worked together in coordinating and conducting the search.

As part of the effort, marine broadcasts were dispatched over VHF radio, but they did not yield any clues about the location of the missing travelers.

“An exhaustive search was conducted by our international search-and-rescue partner, Mexico, with the U.S. Coast Guard and Canada providing additional search assets,” Cmdr. Gregory Higgins, command center chief of Coast Guard District 11, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we found no evidence of the three Americans’ whereabouts or what might have happened.”

He added that “our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends” of the three sailors.

After the suspension of the search, Heather Alcazar, one of Mr. Gross’s daughters, said on Thursday that “although this was devastating news for our families, we support the decision of SEMAR and the U.S.C.G.”

Ms. Alcazar said her father, 71, is a San Diego resident.

“Knowing that our family members have been part of a multinational search is not something we take for granted,” Ms. Alcazar said. “It shows the kind of commitment and cooperation we will all praise in the years to come.”

“Ocean Bound and her crew are missing,” she added, “but they will not be forgotten.”

Ms. O’Brien’s mother, Ellen Argall, said on Friday that her daughter, who is 52, and Frank O’Brien have been married for 18 years, and that both are licensed boat captains who have sailed for nearly 20 years. The couple , who live in Girdwood, Alaska, had invited their friend Mr. Gross to join them on the trip, Ms. Argall said.

“I was devastated but I understand,” she said of the suspension of the search. “I still have a glimmer of hope. I am not going to lose my little glimmer of hope.”

Johnny Diaz is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news. He previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Boston Globe. More about Johnny Diaz

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Americans missing from boat in the Caribbean: A timeline

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It's been over one week since an American couple went missing from their yacht in the Caribbean after three escaped prisoners boarded their boat.

Police said Monday that Ralph Hendry and his wife, Kathy Brandel, are likely dead, however, their bodies have not been found.

Here's how the case has unfolded:

Hendry and Brandel, from Falls Church, Virginia, were last seen alive by their boating neighbor at the dock in Grenada on Feb. 18, according to Hendry's sister, Suellen Desmarais.

The couple, married for 27 years, had been living on their yacht, Simplicity, since they sold their home in 2013.

MORE: American husband and wife missing in Caribbean are likely dead, authorities say

On the morning of Feb. 19, the neighbor said the couple and their boat were gone, according to Desmarais.

Three escaped prisoners allegedly stole the couple's boat before heading to the nearby island of St. Vincent, where they arrived on the yacht on Feb. 19, police said.

The three suspects were arrested on Feb. 21 and are cooperating with investigators, police said.

MORE: American couple missing in Caribbean after fugitives allegedly steal their yacht: Police

On Feb. 26, Junior Simmons, head of the public relations and complaints department at Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, said investigators determined "the suspects committed several criminal acts, including bodily harm, to the couple."

Police processed the scene on the yacht and found signs of violence, Simmons said.

"Several items were strewn on the deck," Simmons said, and in the cabin was "a red substance that resembled blood."

"Based on the investigation thus far it is presumed that Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are deceased," Simmons said.

Their bodies have not been found.

The three suspects have appeared in a St. Vincent court on immigration-related charges and pleaded guilty, police said. Sentencing was scheduled for March 4, police said.

On Feb. 27, Henry's son, Bryan Hendry, and Brandel's son, Nick Buro, said in a statement, "We are incredibly saddened to hear the news that our parents Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are now presumed dead. We remain optimistic in the ongoing search."

"Ralph and Kathy lived a life that most of us can only dream of, sailing the eastern coast of the United States, living on their home Simplicity, making friends with everyone they encountered, singing, dancing and laughing with friends and family," the sons said. "We are grateful to have been raised by the strongest people that we will ever know, and we hope that we can follow in their footsteps and strive to be even half as wonderful as them."

"While the end of their life may have been dark, they brought light, and that light will never be extinguished from the hearts and minds of the people who knew, loved and cared so deeply about them," they said. "We are ever hopeful that justice will be served. In honor of Ralph and Kathy, we ask that everyone please take a moment to stop, pray and reflect on how lucky we were to have known them -- hug your loved ones, spend time with your families, and console one another as we all collectively mourn."

Americans missing from boat in the Caribbean: A timeline originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

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3 American sailors missing off the coast of Mexico

They haven't been heard from since April 4.

The Mexican Navy and United States Coast Guard are searching for three missing American sailors who have not been seen since April 4.

According to the Coast Guard , Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross were sailing onboard the “Ocean Bound,” a 44-foot LaFitte sailboat. They were last heard from on April 4 when they departed Mazatlán, Mexico -- a resort town in Sinaloa.

The trio of Americans were sailing to San Diego with a planned stop in Cabo San Lucas, where they would pick up additional supplies on April 6 but the Coast Guard said there is no record of the group arriving in Cabo San Lucas or providing any report of their location. Additionally, marinas in Baja, Mexico, have yet to see the vessel or sailors.

The trip from Mazatlán to Cabo San Lucas requires an over 200-mile sail across the southern Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.

The Mexican Navy is now searching for the missing sailors with assistance from the Coast Guard, asking any mariner to look for the missing vessel.

“Search and rescue coordinators have contacted marinas throughout Baja, Mexico, with negative sightings of the vessel,” the Coast Guard said. “Urgent marine information broadcasts have been issued over VHF radio requesting all mariners to keep a lookout for the missing persons and vessel.”

The three sailors were traveling on a 44-foot sailboat designed by Robert H. Perry Yacht Designers , equipped with a single mast for sailing and an auxiliary motor. According to Cruising World , the LaFitte 44 is a formidable ocean sailboat, with multiple owners circumnavigating the world with the boat.

ABC News' Izzy Alvarez contributed to this report.

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Search ends for 3 Americans on sailboat that went missing off Mexico

Three reportedly experienced sailors were traveling to san diego on a 44-foot boat.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican Navy have given up their search for three Americans who went missing while traveling by sailboat off the Pacific coast of Mexico, American officials said Wednesday.

The sailors were last heard from nearly two weeks ago after reportedly departing Mazatlán in Sinaloa state.

In a news release, the U.S. Coast Guard said the search spanned over 280 hours and covered more than 200,000 square nautical miles. There was no sign of the ship or its crew.

“This is a reminder for mariners of the importance of providing a person ashore with your float plan which in this case allowed the U.S Coast Guard to be notified when the missing sailors did not check in with family,” the military branch said in the news release.

“It also underscores the importance of carrying a registered 406MHZ electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for automatic notification in emergencies.”

Sailboat crew rescued in Pacific after abandoning ship sunk by whale

Last week, the U.S. Coast Guard said it was aiding the Mexican Navy in the search for the 44-foot sailing vessel Ocean Bound, which was carrying Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross.

The trio reportedly left Mazatlán on April 4 on a trip that would end in San Diego. They planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 to pick up supplies and check in.

“However, there was no record of them arriving in Cabo San Lucas or a report in of their location,” a news release says.

Coast Guard chief petty officer Levi Read, with the District 11 public affairs office, told The Washington Post there was inclement weather at the time they were last heard from.

“Reports were that there were 30-knot winds and 15- to 20-foot swells, which is pretty rough,” he said. “There were other sailing vessels out there at that time that did fine. It wasn’t smooth.”

The Mexican Navy and Coast Guard supplied boats and planes to look for the missing boat, Read said.

Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

In interviews with “Good Morning America,” family members said the three sailors had significant experience.

“She’s a licensed captain by the United States Coast Guard and has got over 20 years of experience sailing, and her husband is not far behind her either,” said Mark Argall, Kerry O’Brien’s brother.

Melissa Spicuzza, Gross’s daughter, told the news program that her father had been sailing since the 1970s and is a mechanic by trade, “so he can fix anything.”

“I have not been out of contact with my father pretty much my entire life,” she said. “We are incredibly close.”

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Search called off for missing yachtsman Duncan Lougee

The missing yacht Minke was located on Thursday, June 29, by Ireland Coastguard, around 70 miles northwest of Trevose Head, Cornwall. No-one was on board the vessel.

• 15:48, 30 JUN 2023
• Updated 15:59, 30 JUN 2023

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The search for a missing yachtsman who set sail from Plymouth and whose unmanned vessel was found floating in the sea has been called off. Coastguard crews have ended the search for the skipper of the boat who is feared to be lost at sea.

Duncan Lougee left Plymouth on The Minke - a 26ft Varne folkboat - at midday on June 18 and was expected to arrive in Baltimore, Ireland, on June 22 as part of the single-handed Jester Challenge, with his plan to sail the route via the Isles of Scilly. But there was no communication from the skipper since his departure, which sparked a major search

Read More - Fears for sailor after yacht that left Devon found off Irish coast with no-one on board

Devon and Cornwall Police have said that while they continue to liaise with partners and that the 70-year-old remains a missing person, there are currently no new searches planned by Coastguard. The family of Duncan, from Colchester, Essex, have been informed and have asked for privacy

Detective Inspector Daniel Massey said: “Yacht Minke has been brought to shore and is currently docked in Padstow Harbour. We continue to liaise with partners including The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Marine Accident Investigation Branch, and The Coroner’s Office in relation to this matter.

“Whilst Mr Lougee remains officially a missing person, responsibility of searches in open water sits with the Coastguard. However, yacht Minke has been missing since it left Plymouth on Sunday, June 18, and initial inquiries appear to show no fresh entries in the ships journal for at least nine days.

“Therefore, due to the potentially vast and prohibitive area of search at sea, at this time there are currently no new searches planned by Coastguard. This matter will remain under review and if any fresh information comes to light, this will be assessed accordingly. We have informed the family of these initial updates and our thoughts are with them at this time; the family of Duncan Lougee have asked for privacy.”

A spokesperson from HM Coastguard added: “Extensive searches were carried out and coordinated by HM Coastguard and the yacht found. The search was terminated once it became clear that the period of survivability had passed.”

Mr Lougee is a yacht broker, boat builder and experienced sailor. He has previously solo navigated crossing the Atlantic in three trips from Plymouth to Azores and back. He has also done the same trip to Baltimore before, the Mirror reports.

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Americans hijacked by escaped prisoners likely thrown off yacht. Here's what we know

Owners of the catamaran remain missing and are presumed dead after abandoned boat found covered in blood.

An American couple who spent winters at a Florida marina have disappeared and are presumed dead after their catamaran was found abandoned and covered in blood in St. Vincent.

Ralph Hendry and his wife, Kathy Brandel, were last known to be near Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.

Both Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are listed under a Level 1 travel advisory, according to the U.S. State Department.

A Level 1 travel advisory urges U.S. citizens to take normal precautions in the area.

Other Caribbean islands are more dangerous , with Level 2 and 3 advisories in effect for the Bahamas and Jamaica , respectively.

Here's what we know so far as the investigation continues.

3 prisoners escaped from South St. George Police Station

Don McKenzie, Commissioner of Police for the Royal Grenada Police Force, said during a news conference Feb. 26, three prisoners escaped from the South St. George Police Station on Feb. 18.

The next day, they "commandeered" the yacht Simplicity, which had two occupants on board, Hendry, 66, and his wife, Kathy Brandel, 71. Both are U.S. citizens.

Information suggests the escaped prisoners "disposed" of Hendry and Brandel. The couple were were likely thrown into the ocean and died, police in Grenada said Monday.

“We have nothing conclusive to say that the individuals are dead," McKenzie said. "We still hold out hope that in spite (of) what might be a low probability, that they would turn up alive somewhere.”

The yacht then headed to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where the escaped prisoners were captured on Feb. 21.

Who were the escaped prisoners and what had they been charged with?

According to the Royal Grenada Police Force, the escaped prisoners were:

• Ron Mitchell, 30,
• Trevon Robertson, 19
• Abita Stanislaus, 25.

All three had been charged with one count of robbery with violence.

Mitchell also had been charged with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape, two counts of indecent assault and causing harm.

Yacht discovered by paddle-boarder near St. Vincent

A sailing captain was paddle-boarding near Saint Vincent when he noticed the yacht with a broken sail, according to People .

When he boarded the Simplicity, he found the deck covered in blood . He also found two passports belonging to Brandel and Hendry, People said.

In an email to an address he found onboard, he told the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, “The ship inside is very messy. “Can you contact them?”

"The good Samaritan contacted the St. Vincent coast guard alerting them of the situation; they in turn notified the local police. The Coast Guard took possession of Simplicity," the Salty Dawg Sailing Association posted on its Facebook page.

Salty Dawg mourns couple's disappearance

On its Facebook page Feb. 24, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association announced, "The Salty Dawg family mourns the disappearance of two of our long term members, Ralph and Kathy of Simplicity. Their family has issued a statement and wish to get the word out as broadly as possible."

Both Brandel and Hendry are veteran cruisers and long-time members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association from its earliest days.

"Warm hearted and capable, they both contributed to building the SDSA and Kathy sat on the association’s board for two years," the organization said.

Salty Dawg live tracking map showed final anchorage for Simplicity

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association "has a live member’s tracking map where boats can be followed as they cruise and Simplicity’s track shows that Kathy and Ralph were anchored in Grenada and then the boat moved directly to its last anchorage off St. Vincent," the organization said.

'They were the sweetest people': Friend describes meeting couple at Fort Pierce marina

The couple previously had docked their catamaran at the Safe Harbor Harbortown Marina in Fort Pierce.

"They were the sweetest people," Keith Mallamo said in an email to TCPalm. Mallamo said he was friends with the couple when they docked their vessels at the marina in Fort Pierce.

One Christmas, Brandel baked cookies for everyone on the dock, and Hendry was always available to help his fellow sailors, Mallamo said.

Family issues statement

The following statement from Bryan Hendry and Nick Buro was posted on Salty Dawg's Facebook page:

"We want to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude for everyone that worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue support.

"It 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.

"Thanks to all this input from this community we are able to develop a timeline of events. For the safety of the cruising community we are asking all cruisers, and anyone that is not affiliated with the officials with presiding jurisdiction, to stand down. The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches.

"We also want to applaud the St. Vincent authorities for their quick actions in securing Simplicity and their brave, swift response that led to the apprehension of three dangerous fugitives. We greatly appreciate the coordination of the St. Vincent and Royal Grenadian Police forces and Coast Guards in investigating these events."

GoFundMe page set up for Kathy Brandel, Ralph Hendry after 'heartbreaking tragedy'

A GoFundMe page was set up for Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry.

"The funds raised will go towards recovering the vessel and belongings, covering funeral costs, and providing support to the grieving families as they try to comprehend the depth of this tragedy," according to the page set up by Jessica Mause on behalf of Nick Buro, Kathy Brandel's son, and Ralph's son, Bryan Hendry.

"It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the senseless act of violence that tragically claimed the lives of husband and wife, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel.

"Kathy and Ralph were seasoned sailors who lived on their beloved catamaran, Simplicity. Their lives ended in unimaginable tragedy on Sunday, February 19th, off the shores of Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.

"Kathy and Ralph, experienced adventurers, spent their retirement sailing aboard Simplicity, spending summers in New England and embracing the warmth of Caribbean winters. Their final voyage with the Salty Dawg Sailing Association crew took an unthinkable turn as Simplicity was found abandoned in St. Vincent, bearing chilling evidence of a violent struggle.

"This heartbreaking tragedy has left not only the sailing community, but also their families, shattered." The GoFundMe page added Kathy Brandel had recently welcomed her first grandchild.

Search continues for missing Americans after alleged yacht hijacking in Grenada, but a violent scene suggests the worst, family says

(CNN) — Police in the Caribbean are investigating the disappearance of an American couple after escaped inmates in Grenada allegedly hijacked their yacht. Now, their family is bracing for the possibility “they aren’t with us” after the violent scene suggests they may have been killed, but still hope they’ll be found alive.

The Virginia couple, identified by their sailing club as Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, were living out a long-held dream of cruising the Caribbean in their sailing yacht, Simplicity. But the vessel was found abandoned Wednesday off the coast of St. Vincent with the husband and wife nowhere to be found, according to the club, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association.

Police in Grenada have yet to identify the couple but said a trio of prisoners have been recaptured after their February 18 escape. Evidence suggests they may have killed the American occupants of a yacht they allegedly hijacked in St. George to flee to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, another island country that is around 80 miles away, the Royal Grenada Police Force said in a statement .

Brandel’s son, Nick Buro, said he still hopes the couple will be found on a Caribbean island.

“The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin, so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,” Buro told CNN Sunday. “We are concerned for their safety overall because it does appear that they were likely injured.”

Wednesday, the day the abandoned boat was discovered, was Kathy’s 71st birthday, Buro said. March 2, will be Ralph’s 67th birthday, his son Bryan Hendry told CNN.

Buro said his mother and stepfather were veteran boaters who had been planning the trip – their first cruise of the Caribbean – for years.

“They were super careful to be safe all the time,” Buro said. “Everywhere they went everything they did, safety was their top, top concern. So this unfortunate accident, I think, it came out of nowhere for them.”

The couple sold their home and bought Simplicity years ago, throwing themselves into an enthralling life on the water, he said.

“It was their home. Everything they had, they owned, was on that boat. It was their life,” he said. “Kathy worked her whole life and then retired. Ralph worked in financial services and continued to work from the boat. But really what they did was … choose a lifestyle that most of us would never imagine could be done. And they loved every minute of it and they saw many parts of the world and just lived a life of joy and love.”

The suspects in the hijacking – Ron Mitchell, 30; Trevon Robertson, 19; and Abita Stanislaus, 25 – were cooperating with investigators, Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Superintendent Junior O. Simmons said. Prior to the escape, all three had been charged on suspicion of robbery with violence and Mitchell faced other charges, including rape and indecent assault, the Royal Grenada Police Force said.

The US State Department said Friday it is “aware of these reports involving US citizens. We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information.”

Boat found abandoned by ‘good Samaritan’

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association said it was contacted Wednesday by a boater who spotted the Simplicity anchored and abandoned off the south coast of St. Vincent.

“The good Samaritan had boarded the boat and noted that the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were not onboard and found evidence of apparent violence,” the group said . The person also contacted the coast guard, who notified St. Vincent police, the association said.

Grenada police said the escapees were recaptured the same day by the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

Ben Osborn, the sailing club’s president, offered his support to the families and said the violence was unheard of.

“This is a very upsetting event and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event – our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them,” Osborn said in a statement . “In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this.”

Seasoned boaters receive outpouring of support

News of Brandel and Hendry’s disappearance has opened a floodgate of support from loved ones, church friends and boating community members who stepped forward willing to help, their families said.

“We want to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude for everyone that worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue support. It 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,” Buro and Bryan Hendry said in a  statement shared by the sailing club.

They also asked that any boaters not affiliated with the official investigation stand down on their search efforts.

“The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches,” the statement read.

The couple also had close ties to their local Christian community, and a prayer service was held Saturday for them, Buro said.

A  GoFundMe campaign has been established on behalf of Nick Buro to help fund the recovery of the yacht and the couple’s belongings, funeral costs and support.

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Here’s what to know about a US couple missing in the Caribbean

Police in Grenada said the U.S. elderly couple Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, whose catamaran was hijacked a week earlier, were likely dead. (AP Video: Kenton X. Chance)

The yacht “Simplicity”, that officials say was hijacked by three escaped prisoners with two people aboard, is docked at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coastguard Service Calliaqua Base, in Calliaqua, St. Vincent, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Authorities in the eastern Caribbean said they were trying to locate two people believed to be U.S. citizens who were aboard the yacht that was hijacked by the three escaped prisoners from Grenada. (AP Photo/Kenton X. Chance)

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Authorities in the eastern Caribbean are scouring waters in the region in hopes of finding a missing U.S. couple who were aboard their catamaran Simplicity more than a week ago when police say it was hijacked by three escaped prisoners from Grenada.

Police have said that Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are presumed dead . The search for them began on Feb. 21 after someone discovered their catamaran abandoned on the shores of St. Vincent and alerted authorities.

Police say the three prisoners escaped from a police station on Feb. 18 and hijacked the catamaran a day later. Authorities said the prisoners then illegally entered the southwest coast of St. Vincent on Feb. 19 and docked the boat. Two days later, the three men were arrested along the island’s northwest coast.

Here’s what to know about the case:

WHY WAS THE COUPLE TARGETED?

It’s unclear why the escaped prisoners hijacked the couple’s catamaran, but it was moored at Grand Anse beach, near to the police station where the three men escaped.

Police believe the men hijacked the catamaran with the couple aboard and then allegedly threw them into the water while traveling to St. Vincent, which is located north of Grenada.

They have noted that there were signs of violence aboard the catamaran.

WHO ARE THE ESCAPED PRISONERS?

Police in Grenada have identified the escaped prisoners as Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man; Abita Stanislaus, a 25-year-old farmer; and Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor.

All were charged a couple of months ago with one count of robbery with violence. Mitchell also was charged with one count of rape, three counts of attempted rape and two counts of indecent assault and causing harm.

Vannie Curwen, Grenada’s assistant police commissioner, has said the men had been placed in a holding cell rather than in jail, because a judge hadn’t yet ruled whether they would be released on bail.

WHO IS THE COUPLE?

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association has described Brandel and Hendry as veteran cruisers and longtime members who were “warm-hearted and capable.” It noted that Brandel served on the association’s board for two years.

The association said the couple had sailed their boat in the 2023 Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua and planned to spend the winter cruising the eastern Caribbean. A GoFundMe donation page stated that Brandel had become a first-time grandmother.

Nick Buro, Brandel’s son, and Bryan Hendry, Hendry’s son, said in a statement Tuesday that they were “incredibly saddened” to hear that the couple was presumed dead, but added that they remain optimistic about the ongoing search.

“While the end of their life may have been dark, they brought light, and that light will never be extinguished from the hearts and minds of the people who knew, loved and cared so deeply about them,” they said.

WHY HAVEN’T THE PRISONERS BEEN CHARGED IN THE CASE?

Police in Grenada and St. Vincent have provided limited information about the case of the missing couple, noting that the investigation is ongoing, though they have said the couple is presumed dead.

Authorities haven’t yet shared any specific evidence linking the three men to the couple’s disappearance. St. Vincent police say the men have been cooperating in the investigation.

The men pleaded guilty this week to immigration-related charges, and are scheduled to be sentenced on those counts in early March.

WHO HAS JURISDICTION OF THE CASE?

Authorities haven’t said whether prosecutors in St. Vincent or Grenada would pursue the case involving the couple.

Grenada Police Commissioner Don McKenzie said the attorney generals and prosecutors on both islands “are in discussions.”

Meanwhile, Grenada police sent a team of five officials to help with the investigation in nearby St. Vincent.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Police in Grenada have launched an investigation into how the men were able to escape from their holding cell.

McKenzie has said the police station should have been secure enough to prevent such an escape, and that authorities are looking into whether it was a “system failure” or a “slip up.”

McKenzie has said no officers have resigned or been disciplined, although one supervisor at the station has been transferred to another location “to ensure a thorough investigation in this matter.”

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Friends who sailed with missing Americans 'pray for miracle' after yacht hijacking: report

Ralph hendry and kathy brandel of virginia are feared dead after yacht found ransacked in caribbean.

Authorities believe three escaped prisoners allegedly hijacked missing couple's yacht

Fox News correspondent Christina Coleman reports on a missing U.S. couple in the Caribbean on 'Fox Report.'

Friends who recently sailed with a missing Virginia couple , whose boat was overrun by seafaring bandits in the Caribbean, are "praying for a miracle," despite the gloomy outlook.

Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are still missing after their yacht – named "Simplicity" – was found in tatters and abandoned over the weekend.

Three escaped prisoners – Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man, and Abita Stanislaus, a 20-year-old farmer – were arrested and charged with robbery, and the oldest suspect is being held on three counts of attempted rape, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF). Investigators said the yacht was found ransacked.

"We would love to believe that they are still alive and out there and can be found and brought back to us safely," one of the couple's sons, Nick Buro, told Fox News. "It's obvious from what evidence has been found of the boat that that is a concern that that may not happen, but we, of course, are holding hope that they are still alive and can be found."

FAMILY OF COUPLE MISSING IN THE CARIBBEAN ASKS PUBLIC TO LEAVE SEARCH TO EXPERTS: ‘STAND DOWN’

Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel are feared dead after their yacht was found abandoned and ransacked in the Caribbean. (GoFundMe)

A Rhode Island couple, who have been friends with Brandel and Hendry for years, told WTKR that they are, "Praying for a miracle."

Pete and Tammy Sisson said they sailed with Brandel and Hendry during the first leg of the trip from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, but left after a few days in Antigua. 

NURSE HELPING AMERICANS IN ALLEGED BAHAMAS ATTACK WAS ‘SCARED’ BY WHAT SHE SAW: ‘COULD’VE BEEN MY DAUGHTERS

The Sissons expressed survivors' guilt in their interview with the local news outlet. They said their destination was "gorgeous," and they described the "beautiful lush green island with waterfalls, and a rainforest-type atmosphere."

It created a sense of safety. The Sissons left a few days before Hendry and Brandel, but now Pete Sisson says he and his wife cannot help but wonder if the situation would have been different had he and his wife stayed with the couple. 

"I also thought perhaps if there were four people instead of two, maybe these perpetrators would have done something different," he told WTKR.

The suspects who were arrested in relation to the disappearance of the couple.  (RSVG Police Force via Facebook )

The trip was part of a rally organized by the Salty Dawg Association, which released a statement from Bryan Hendry and Buro on behalf of their parents on Friday, which thanked and cautioned well-intended volunteers.  

"We want to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude for everyone that worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue support," Bryan Hendry and Buro said. 

"It 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." 

VIRGINIA COUPLE FEARED DEAD AS ESCAPED PRISONERS HIJACK YACHT IN CARIBBEAN

However, for the "safety of the cruising community, we are asking all cruisers, and anyone that is not affiliated with the officials with presiding jurisdiction, to stand down," they said in the statement. 

"The only way we feel this situation could be worse would be if anyone was hurt or endangered trying to conduct searches."

Authorities continued to search for the couple Monday, as conflicting reports about their presumed demise pop up on social media and news outlets, and authorities sort the details about what happened on the Caribbean seas . 

A map pinpointing Grenada in the Caribbean where the couple are feared dead. (Google Maps)

The RGPF said in a statement Friday that they were working on leads "that suggest" the two occupants of the yacht might have been killed, but they have not released anything official since. 

Fox News' Christina Coleman spoke to Buro and Bryan Hendry, who said their parents were living their post-retirement dream on a boat. 

"They've been doing for 12 years," Buro said. "And they sold all their possessions to live out their retirement years on this boat. It was their home. It was their livelihood. It was their possessions. It was everything that they had in the world, and it was taken from them."

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Bob Osborn, president of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, said, "This is a very upsetting event and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event – our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them.

"I have spoken to the families and have offered our deepest condolences and our assistance in any way possible. In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this."

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this story. 

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to [email protected] or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.

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San Diego sailor discusses possible perils of route sailed by missing Americans

As the search continues for three missing American sailors, so does the speculation about what could have happened.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross were last heard from on April 4 . They departed from Mazatlán and were en route to San Diego and had planned to stop in Cabo San Lucas on April 6 for provisions. However, there was no record of them ever arriving in Cabo.

“It’s kind of shocking and alarming to hear people are missing,” said Brandon Bolic.

Bolic is a San Diego-based sailor with more than 35 years of international experience. He’s traveled the seas off the Mexican coastline where the sailors disappeared.

“A lot of things can go wrong, especially in an area that big. You don’t have good communication with shore if you’re only using a sailor phone,” said Bolic.

Bolic says he’s familiar with the 44-foot La Fitte the three were sailing.

“It’s a good quality boat designed by Robert Perry," he said. "He’s very well known, a great boat designer…those boats typically have a 60 or 70 horsepower engine.”

Bolic says even with a high-quality boat like that, the weather conditions at the time they were sailing (high winds and 15-20 foot seas) would have been a challenge.

“It is fairly dangerous, all things considered, with a crew of three people. It's very hard on the crew you’re getting bounced around in a small boat like that,” he said.

ABC 10News asked Bolic about other possible explanations for the crew's sudden disappearance. He says while piracy is relatively uncommon in that area, whale strikes can happen this time of year.

“There has been an uptick in the number of dead whales that they're finding ashore and the number of whale strikes. So that is a possibility its whale migration season,” he said. “I just hope they’re found safe and sound.”

Anyone with information about the missing boat or sailors is urged to contact the U.S. Coast Guard.

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Nbc news channel, american couple missing after apparent yacht hijacking.

Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry haven't been seen since three escaped prisoners boarded their boat in Grenada. WRC's Mauricio Casillas reports. Feb. 26, 2024

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Sons of missing Virginia couple whose yacht was hijacked in Caribbean call attack ‘unimaginable'

Kathleen brandel and ralph hendry were last seen in grenada in the eastern caribbean. their yacht, simplicity, was discovered “anchored and abandoned” on the island of st. vincent, by mauricio casillas, news4 reporter and associated press • published february 25, 2024 • updated on february 26, 2024 at 8:14 am.

A married couple who sold their home in Virginia to retire to a life at sea is missing after authorities believe escaped convicts stole their yacht in the Caribbean.  

The mystery has sent shockwaves through the family of Kathleen Brandel and Ralph Hendry, and the sailing community.

The couple was last seen in Grenada in the eastern Caribbean last week. Their yacht, Simplicity, was discovered “anchored and abandoned” on the island of St. Vincent a few days later, but they were nowhere to be found, according to the nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association, of which Brandel and Hendry are members.

A preliminary investigation suggests that three prisoners escaped their holding cell in Grenada on Feb. 18, and the next day hijacked the yacht from the capital, St. George's. They made their way to St. Vincent and were eventually recaptured on Feb. 21, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force. 

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Grenada police believe Brandel and Hendry may have been killed during the hijacking, but they said they could not say so definitively.

Nick Buro and Bryan Hendry say what happened to their parents, a retired couple who sold their home in Alexandria, Virginia, years ago to be able to spend the rest of their days on Simplicity, is unimaginable.

"This is something that is completely unexpected," Buro said. "And wrapping our brains around it and trying to understand a senseless act of violence against two people while they were just living their lives in their home, essentially, because Simplicity was their home. They didn't have another home.... And having that safety and security taken away from them abruptly and have them attacked in where they live, it's just, it's unimaginable."

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The brothers say that though they hold onto some hope that their parents might still be alive, investigators said there were signs of a violent struggle aboard the vessel: the couples' possessions were scattered around, and there was blood throughout. 

“Shock, despair, fear, sadness, hope, love – all of those emotions are going through our head at the same time,” Buro said.

The brothers are in the Caribbean as authorities continue the search. Kathleen Brandel and Ralph Hendry have been married for 27 years and have spent more than a decade sailing around the world.

“They loved immersing themselves in different cultures and meeting people and spreading their love wherever they could,” Bryan Hendry said.  

“You’ll never meet more beautiful people than Kathy and Ralph. They made everybody feel happy and so welcome. They consistently made you feel like you were part of their family,” Buro said. 

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association said the couple had sailed the yacht in last year’s Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, and were spending the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean. 

Nick and Megan O'Kelly are fellow cruisers who knew the couple.

“There’s a real tight-knit fabric in this community. And so when this news came out, it spread like wildfire. People are just incredibly shocked and devastated by this,” Nick O'Kelly said.

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.

Authorities said they dispatched senior investigators and a forensic specialist to St. Vincent.

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Missing Yacht's Mysterious Last Words Still Puzzle Investigators 35 Years Later

The patanela was a 75-foot-long bright yellow yacht that somehow went missing in 1988..

In 1988 a famous sailing yacht went missing, leaving behind a strange final message, a mangled investigation and questions of suicide, piracy, mutiny and drug trafficking. I’ve long been fascinated by ship wrecks and disappearances and this one is one of my favorites, not only because it’s such a mysterious story, but because the ship itself was so beautiful.

The Patanela was a 75-foot-long, twin-masted, steel-hulled schooner built in Tasmania, according to Nine News . It lived an eventful life, traveling around the world as an explorer’s vessel and making headlines wherever it went. Eventually the schooner would be purchased by a businessman named in Perth named Alan Nicol, who had the intention of turning it into a charter vessel. First, Nicol, his daughter, his Skipper Ken Jones, Jones’ wife, and two crew members would take the Patanela around the southern coast of Australia to its new home at Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Region of Queensland.

On October 16, 1988 the Patanela set out from Freemantle, Western Australia on a month-long voyage with six souls aboard. By October 29, however, Nicol and his daughter left the boat, and the crew of four continued on to Sydney where they’d meet back up with Nicol and continue on to Airlie Beach.

From here, things get weird. Jones was an experienced sailor, yet spent the majority of the voyage using the diesel engines to motor along the Australian coast. First, it seems Jones was behaving erratically. He requested funds from Nicol for fuel, and then didn’t buy any fuel. On November 9, the ship arrived off the coast of Botany Bay. And that’s when the voyage takes a strange turn for the worse, according to Nine:

At two and a half minutes to one, OTC (Overseas Telecommunication Commission), which managed all messages and radio calls from ships, received a message from skipper Ken Jones. Recorded tapes reveal these messages: KEN JONES: SYDNEY RADIO - SYDNEY RADIO SYDNEY RADIO THIS IS PATANELA PATANELA PATANELA ON CHANNEL 16 DO YOU READ? OTC: PATANELA, SYDNEY GOOD MORNING LOUD AND CLEAR OVER. KEN JONES: PATANELA - I BELIEVE WE’VE RUN OUT OF FUEL, WE’RE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES EAST OF BOTANY BAY. KEN JONES: WE’VE HOISTED OUR SAILS AND WE’RE TACKING OUT TO THE EAST - SO TRACKING ABOUT 080

As experts involved in a reinvestigation of the ship’s appearance point out, this is a very strange message, especially from an experienced seaman like Jones. For one, he wouldn’t say “I believe we’ve run out of fuel,” as he’d very much know what the indicators for that situation would be. And if he was so low on fuel, why were his sails hoisted? The next message is even stranger:

KEN JONES: How far South is Moruya ? We’re unfamiliar with that position. How far South is it in miles from us ? “I have no explanation. I have no idea why you would make that first call to say I’m east of Botany Bay and then asking for directions to Moruya. He’d know where he is,” John Dikkenberg said. “That is very strange, that is probably the strangest thing of everything,” Adrienne Cahalan added. A third short message then static . KEN: 300 KS SOUTH……IS IT SOUTH? …. STATIC

The ship is never heard from again. Nicol reports the Patanela missing 11 days later. A lackluster investigation revealed nothing, which almost seems as to have been by design. Eventually, investigators come up with the idea that the Patanela was hit by a larger cargo vessel and sank – without any of the ships in the harbor showing damage, without any wreckage of the yacht, without the automatic distress beacon being tripped, and despite the latest sonar equipment onboard with an experienced sailor at the helm keeping them far from danger.

There’s also the problem of the sightings: the Patanela was easily identifiable with its brilliant yellow hull, and it was spotted several times up and down the coast of Australia and even in the waters off of Thailand and Southeast Asia.

And then there’s the life buoy, which turned up six months later in Sydney with the letters Patanela written across it and marine life that seemed to indicate it came from the Coral Sea – about a thousand miles or more north from Sydney and the last known location of the Patanela.

There are a lot of possible theories on what happened to the Patanela, and every journalist or armchair investigator out there has their favorite. During the first leg of the journey, Jones was in an emotional state due to his own yacht being seized and his personal company was in distress. The fact that such an experienced sailor spent most of the journey under motor could indicate his state of mind. Nicol also suspected the previous owner of trying to reclaim the Patanela after he complained about being swindled in the deal to sell it to Nicol.

But it doesn’t explain the strange broadcast. Jones’ son told reporters that he believed it was a coded cry for help. It just so happens that the two young crew members aboard – John Blissett and Michael Calvin – had just finished work on the Australian film “Dead Calm,” which is a thriller about a yacht being hijacked.

Did life imitate art? Or did the danger Jones tried to warn the OTC of come in the form of more professional hijackers? After the ship’s disappearance, Nicol spent $30,000 of his own funds to investigate every sighting of the Patanela. The big yellow ship was a rare make and style, easily spotted from shore by even landlubbers. When seen the was Patanela always at a distance in open waters and rarely came to shore; when it did come to shore it was always spotted in way out of the way areas. These are signs, Nicol believed, that indicate the Patanela was being used for drug smuggling. And worse yet, certain members of the police may have been in on the caper, as the YouTube channel Barely Sociable explains:

Once Nicol reported the ship missing a search was refused on the basis that, after 11 days, the search area would be an impossible 200,000-square-kilometer area. Then a federal detective working with a judicial coroner declared the Patanela had been hit and sank that same day, just ten miles off the coast of Botany Bay, but no search was ever done to track down the wreck.

As Nicol noted in his investigation, police are often paid off by drug smugglers, and indeed, the coroner assigned to the case made previous questionable judgements in cases involving potential drug smuggling activities. Sightings of the Patanela near the Golden Triangle of heroin production in Southeast Asia could also point to the Patanela being hijacked and pressed into drug smuggling. If that’s the case the Patanela has long ago been modified and registered under a different name and flag by crooked politicians on the other side of the sea.

Missing woman's mom begs Biden for help in Caribbean paradise where murders have gone unsolved

T he mother of a U.K. woman who vanished from her American boyfriend's yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2021 sent an open letter to President Biden on Friday, demanding he do something about the "failures" of police in the tourist hot spot, known for gorgeous beaches and a leisurely island life.

Sarm Heslop vanished overnight between March 7 and 8 of 2021 under suspicious circumstances. Searches came up empty, and her family suspects foul play, although there have been no official developments in the case in over three years.

"I do not believe my daughter vanished without a trace, I believe she was murdered and there is a bigger, more disturbing case here involving potential corruption and cover ups," her mother, United Kingdom resident Brenda Street, wrote to the president. "I plead for you to uncover the truth and give us the answers we deserve." 

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She was last seen alive leaving a bar on St. John with her boyfriend, Ryan Bane, who has a prior domestic violence conviction for beating his ex-wife in a drunken rage. The couple lived together on his 47-foot catamaran, the Siren Song, but police never searched his boat and say that a judge denied their request for a warrant.

Numerous experts, however, say they should have had no issue establishing probable cause for a search, because that is the last place Heslop was believed to have been before she vanished.

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Bane and Heslop left the 420 for Center Bar in Cruz Bay around 10 p.m. March 7, 2021. Police have reviewed, but not publicly released, surveillance video that shows the couple headed to Bane's dinghy a few minutes later. Around 2:30 a.m. the following morning, Bane called the Virgin Islands Police Department to report Heslop missing.

He was told to alert the U.S. Coast Guard if she'd fallen overboard. He waited 10 hours to do so and then refused to allow responding sailors to search the cabin of his boat. 

WOMAN GOES MISSING FROM LUXE YACHT; CAPTAIN SAILS OFF AND HAS FREEZER REPLACED: INVESTIGATOR

According to the letter, Virgin Islands police "admitted" to the family that they "forgot" to call the Coast Guard themselves.

"This was their first admittance of failing to carry out their duties," Street wrote. "Their communication since has been appalling, and my daughter's case is riddled with failures."

Island police also failed to record the 911 call, which could have contained evidence.

Read the letter to President Biden:

David Johnston, a decorated former London homicide squad commander and hostage negotiator, is assisting Heslop's parents free of charge. He told Fox News Digital earlier this month that Bane ultimately sailed out of U.S. territorial waters and then resurfaced in Grenada, where he allegedly had the freezer replaced in the boat.

"We know he went to Grenada afterwards and had the freezer replaced on the boat. Why?" the Queen's Police Medal recipient pondered in a phone interview. "We know he had other parts of the forecabin replaced. Why?"

MISSING WOMAN IN VIRGIN ISLANDS HAD AMERICAN BOYFRIEND QUICK TO ANGER: EX-WIFE

Bane's lawyer, David Cattie, who previously represented Ghislaine Maxwell, previously told Fox News Digital that his client would return to the Virgin Islands if his presence were "legally required."

"Mr. Bane had nothing to do with Sarm’s disappearance and remains heartbroken that she is missing," he said.

MICHIGAN MAN'S 911 CALL REPORTING GIRLFRIEND MISSING IN US VIRGIN ISLANDS NEVER RECORDED: FAMILY

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Bane has not been charged with a crime in Heslop's disappearance. Police have referred to him as a person of interest.

"Sarm likely is dead, and her death was untimely and could have been a murder," Johnston said. "It could've been an accident, but no one will speak with us."

Heslop's mother is also asking the president to release surveillance video of Heslop leaving the bar with Bane, which she says is in the possession of island police but has not been made public.

There is a reward being offered for information on Heslop's whereabouts. Anyone with information is asked to call U.S. Virgin Islands Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

While the Virgin Islands Police Department has jurisdiction over local offenses, the FBI urges anyone who believes they are a witness or victim to a federal crime to call them directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI or to call the local field office in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard says that anyone who needs help in U.S. waters should reach out over VHF radio on channel 16 with their GPS location and the nature of their emergency. 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Original article source: Missing woman's mom begs Biden for help in Caribbean paradise where murders have gone unsolved