In a chilling discovery off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, forensic authorities are currently working to identify the remains of at least 14 mostly decomposed bodies found on an abandoned vessel.
The Dominican Republic Navy has revealed that the skeletal remains appear to belong to individuals from Senegal and Mauritania, based on the documentation found alongside the bodies.
As reported by ABC News, the cause and time of the deaths are yet to be determined. Authorities are also investigating whether 12 packages of a substance found on the boat are illicit drugs, possibly cocaine or heroin. The vessel also contained cell phones and geolocation devices, according to the Navy.
The perilous Atlantic route from West Africa to the European Union territory is notorious for its danger. Boats that fail to reach their destination can be swept away by Atlantic trade winds and currents, drifting aimlessly for months. The unfortunate migrants aboard often succumb to dehydration and malnutrition, while some, in utter desperation, have been known to leap into the ocean.
An investigation by the Associated Press last year disclosed that in 2021, at least seven boats from northwest Africa had been discovered in the Caribbean and Brazil, all carrying deceased individuals.
The bodies found on Tuesday are currently being examined by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) in Santiago, the country's second-largest city and close to where the grim discovery was made, according to Nairobi Viloria, a spokeswoman for the Attorney Generals Office. Simultaneously, the substance found with the bodies is undergoing analysis in laboratories operated by the country's anti-drug agency, as stated by Carlos Devers, a spokesman for the National Directorate of Drug Control.
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