St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) – Information circulating on social media suggested that several Cameroon nationals escaped from the St. Peter’s Community Center on April 26, where they were being housed after being rescued from a boating tragedy in March.
The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) issued a statement on the incident sharing that nine of the 14 Cameroon nationals escaped the detention facility.
Four were found and taken into custody by the morning of April 27th. Five are still at large, with law enforcement officials continuing the search for the escapees.
The African detainees were rescued at sea on March 28, 2023, by the St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard after responding to a call for help at sea.
Seventeen Cameroon nationals were found, three of them deceased after their boat capsized after leaving Antigua and Barbuda. The people saved were transported to St. Kitts and detained at a government facility pending repatriation to Antigua and Barbuda.
Law enforcement also shared that Antigua and Barbuda rescinded the offer to accept the repatriation of the other 14 Cameroonians to Antigua and Barbuda, cancelling the pending arrangement. The Government has pledged to continue efforts to solve the issue diplomatically.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of any of the five escaped detainees should contact their nearest police station.
