CNN
—
The families of two Americans who may have died after prison escapees allegedly hijacked their yacht in Granada are holding on in the hope that the couple will be found alive.
Kathy Blundell and Ralph Hendry, a couple from Virginia, were spending the winter cruising the Eastern Caribbean after sailing their yacht Simplicity from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, according to the sailing club. was identified as.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the couple's identities, but police in Grenada have remanded in custody three men who escaped from prison on February 18 and may have killed two people believed to be U.S. citizens. announced.
Blundell's son, Nick Breaux, told CNN on Sunday that he had hoped the couple would be found safe, but that Simplicity's evidence suggested a scene of violence.
“The boat itself had been ransacked and items were strewn throughout the cabin, so it was clear there had been some type of altercation inside the boat and they were likely injured, so we are generally concerned about their safety. “It shows that we are concerned about this,” he said.
“They were very careful to ensure safety at all times,” Bro said. “I think this unfortunate accident came out of the blue for them because safety was their number one concern everywhere they went and in everything they did.”
Mr Bro said search operations were underway. “As far as we are aware, three suspects implicated in this horrific incident are in the custody of St. Vincent Police and are being questioned,” he said.
“We're doing our best to find out what's going to happen, hoping that it's recovered safely somewhere on the island,” Nick Brough told CNN on Sunday. “But of course, we're concerned because of the evidence found on the boat that they may not be with us.”
Bro's mother and Hendry are veteran sailors who sold their home to buy a boat years ago.
“It was their home. Everything they had, everything they owned was on that boat. It was their life,” he said. “Cathy worked all her life and then retired. Ralph worked in financial services and continued to work on ships. But what they really did was sell their house, sell their possessions, buy a boat, and we… was to choose a lifestyle that most of them could never have imagined. And they loved every moment of it, seeing many parts of the world and simply living a life full of joy and love.”
Bro said this winter was the first voyage to the Caribbean that her mother and stepfather had been planning for years.
He said the couple had strong ties to Virginia's Christian community, and a prayer service was held in their honor Saturday.
“The outpouring from the boating community, family and friends, and the church as a whole was an overwhelming outpouring of emotion, support, love and compassion,” Bro told CNN.
View this interactive content on CNN.com
In a previous news release, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association expressed its condolences to the missing sailors.
“Cathy Blundell and Ralph Hendry are veteran cruisers and long-time members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association since its early days. These kind-hearted and talented men helped found SDSA, and Cathy served on the association's board for two years. ” states the release.
The club released statements from Blundell and Hendry's families.
“We would like to reach out to the entire cruiser community to express our gratitude to everyone who has worked tirelessly to gather information from witnesses and assist in search and rescue. It means so much to us that you, as friends and fellow cruisers, cared so much and stopped to help in any way you could,” Nick Brough and Hendry's son Brian Hendry said in a statement. Stated.
The family also called on other sailors and others not involved in the official investigation to halt the search, and thanked Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police and the Coast Guard for their efforts.
“The only way we believe this situation could get worse is if someone were injured or put in danger while attempting to conduct the search,” the statement said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established on Nick Bro's behalf to help fund the recovery of the yacht and the couple's belongings, as well as funeral costs and support.
According to the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, a passing “good Samaritan” spotted the abandoned Simplicity anchored off the south coast of St. Vincent on February 21 and contacted the association.
“Good Samaritans boarded the boat and said the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Blundell, were not on board and found evidence of apparent violence,” the statement said. The association said they found the club's contact details, also contacted the Coast Guard and alerted St. Vincent Police.
According to Bro, Wednesday, the day the boat was discovered, would have been Kathy's 71st birthday. Saturday, March 2nd would have been Ralph's 67th birthday, his son Brian Hendry told CNN.
“We are cooperating with the authorities of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, including their national police departments and coastguards, in this investigation to quickly apprehend these dangerous subjects and restore simplicity. We're very grateful for the efforts that got us back up and running.'' We got them to safety as quickly as they did. They were very hospitable to us and helpful,” Hendry said.
Club chairman Bob Osborne expressed his condolences to the family and said the violence was unprecedented.
“This is a very upsetting event, and although the details have not yet been confirmed by authorities, it certainly appears to be a tragic event. Our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy, and their love. My thoughts are with his family,” Osborne said in a statement. “I have spoken to the families and offered them my utmost condolences and any assistance possible. I have sailed the Caribbean for many years and have never heard of anything like this.”
The U.S. State Department said in a statement Friday that it is “aware of these reports involving U.S. citizens.” We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information. ”
On Saturday, Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Superintendent Junior O. Simmons told CNN that the suspects are cooperating with the investigation and more information will be released.
CNN’s Jillian Sykes, Abel Alvarado and Aaron Eggleston contributed to this report.
