3913 – Assault in Saint Lucia – Anse Cochon
Incident Date: 2026-07-18 at 00:30
Event Type: Assault
Stolen Items: Other: 2 knives, flashlight, handheld VHF radio
Secured: Not Locked
Source Type: 1st Hand Report
Incident Details: Cruisers were asleep in their center cockpit yacht, anchored among other yachts in Anse Cochon, on the evening of July 18, 2026. They were awoken at 0030HRS by noise on deck. The captain went through the dark cabin to the open companionway and found two men in the cockpit. He began yelling at them to leave immediately.
One of the men pushed past the captain and went down into the dimly lit salon. The captain followed, and noticed the intruder was very agitated and seemed impaired. The intruder picked up a wine bottle and struck the captain in the head, stunning him. The second man remained in the cockpit.
The intruder continued his assault with another blow that broke the bottle, scattering glass and wine about the cabin and floor. Now armed with the broken bottle, he proceeded to slash at the captain, inflicting serious, life-threatening injuries to his head, neck, arms, and hand. He pinned the captain to the floor. The captain had managed to locate a small pocket knife, but was unable to open it fully with his badly injured hand. During the struggle, with blood spraying about the cabin, the captain pleaded with the intruder, telling him he was being murdered. The attacker, apparently understanding the potential lethality of the situation, finally aborted his attack and moved up into the cockpit. He and another man were trying to reach back into the companionway, grabbing at items stored there. Then they moved to the stern of the yacht and were picked up by another boat.
Between 6-8 men had boarded the yacht. While the captain was being attacked in the salon, the crew had been busy working to close and secure an open hatch in their cabin that an intruder on deck was attempting to raise fully. After all the men left the yacht, the captain and crew were able to close and lock the companionway and hatches, securing themselves inside.
Once the cabin felt secure, they turned on the lights and assessed the captain’s injuries, which were severe and still spraying blood. An immediate VHF MAYDAY call was made, and answered. However, the Coast Guard responder did not ask for location information before assuring the captain and crew that help was on the way. A 911 call was then placed and all details were communicated. A police boat was dispatched to the yacht.
The marine police boat arrived promptly. After the crew verified that the officers were in fact police, the captain and crew member were rushed to the local hospital. The captain was given emergency treatment and taken for immediate surgery to save his life. Stabilized, he underwent further surgery the next day to repair the extensive damage done by the attacker.
A full police report was made at the hospital once the captain had sufficiently recovered. There was considerable confusion because, a short time earlier the night of the attack, two local party boats carrying many Carnival celebrants had collided at speed further off Anse Cochon. Local agencies were already managing that serious maritime emergency when they received the VHF and 911 calls. The yacht was secured as a crime scene and taken into custody by officials.
Tragically, four persons had died and fourteen others were injured in the collision. Authorities in St. Lucia opened an investigation into the two-boat accident, now reported to be 90{f171658a09bfa8f3fb56ec6ea12741367367f7b871737af52b8d65e5d8501b79} complete. A second investigation into the assault was also begun. The attacker was identified and had been onboard one of the party boats. Charges of trespass and grievous harm were laid against Lester Jean of Soufriere, St. Lucia. After being formally charged, he was offered bail, met the conditions, and was released. The next court date has been set for mid-September 2026.
After discharge and recovery, the owners returned to their yacht and discovered that two knives, a flashlight, and a handheld VHF radio had been stolen from the yacht. During their investigation, the police recovered one of the knives; it is being held as evidence.