Tragic story of Barbados 'ghost ship' found with bodies of 11 unknown passengers and note revealing their grisly fate

A terrifying sight spread across the Atlantic Ocean 80 miles off the coast of Ragged Point, Barbados.

Barbados coast guards eventually braved boarding the unmarked, unmanned 20-foot white hunt – only to make a tragic discovery.

4

4

4

Aboard the sea-battered ship were little more than the desiccated remains of eleven young men, their shorts and sweaters almost completely faded by the elements.

However, their bodies were partially preserved by salt water, the sun and the often intense conditions Atlantic Ocean sea ​​breeze.

The weathered yacht, probably from French design, was towed to Willoughy Fort, Bridgetownwhere rescuers moved the bodies to the dock.

In a part of the world where many myths arise from the powers of the ocean, the mystery of these dead men quickly sparked intrigue on the island.

Amid the whispers of local legends, some clues emerged.

a Senegal A plane ticket and a tragic note written by one of the young men as he prepared to die provided a starting point in unraveling the mystery.

It read: “I would like to send a message to my family in Bassada [a town in the interior of Senegal] a sum of money.

“Please excuse me and goodbye. This is the end of my life in this great one Moroccan sea.”

Although the creepy ship was discovered off the coast of the the Caribbeanresearchers were able to trace its origins Cape Verdelocated on the African coast.

It also turned out that the ill-fated young men were on their way to the Canary Islands Europe.

According to reports, the evidence strongly suggests that the men were adrift in the Atlantic Ocean for several weeks, leading to their slow and painful demise.

Barbados Police have since revealed the cause of death was starvation and dehydration.

Relatives of the tragic young men have contacted Barbadian authorities from as far away as Senegal. SpainAnd Portugal.

These contacts each revealed little bits of communication that the individuals had – either before boarding or during the early stages of their journey.

It has emerged that the eleven deceased persons were joined by forty other hopeful immigrants from Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Gambia.

Their journey had started on Christmas Day in Praia, a port city in the former Portuguese colony of Cape Verde.

There, an unnamed Spaniard promised them a trip to the Canary Islands for 1,300 euros each.

All 51 passengers reportedly paid the Spaniard, believing he – a mechanic from the Canary Islands – would be the captain of their boat. But at the very last moment a Senegalese man took over and the Spanish man disappeared.

Some passengers refused to make the journey as a result, with one reportedly jumping overboard as the yacht took off, according to a report in El Pais newspaper.

It remains unclear what exactly happened next.

However, according to El Pais, the yacht ran into trouble near the Mauritanian port of Nouadhibou.

Another ship was dispatched to assist it, apparently after the Senegalese man contacted the Spaniard. But after attempts to tow him, the line was cut with a machete.

Stranded without fuel and with limited food and water supplies, the fate of the migrants became a gamble, left entirely to the sea.

The yacht drifted out into the Atlantic Ocean and it is believed the other migrants were thrown overboard or washed as they met their cruel fate.

The last eleven survivors are said to have died at the end of January.

The latest immigrant route from Africa to Europe has already claimed thousands of lives.

It is one of the most dangerous routes in the world, yet the number of migrants leaving Senegal on rickety wooden boats has soared in the past year.

Nearly a thousand migrants died trying to reach Spain by sea in the first six months of 2023, Walking Borders says.

And in August alone More than 60 migrants were feared dead after a boat from Senegal capsized near Cape Verde.

4