Tag: Panama Archives

Incident Date: 2019-11-08 at 19:00

Event Type: Assault

Stolen Items: Everything- Cash, personal devices, boat electronics and gear, clothing, liquor and cigarettes

Secured: N/A

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: UPDATED REPORT June 2, 2023 ||Four men have been convicted of aggravated rape, aggravated robbery and illicit association, and will each serve 20 years in prison plus 5 years additional disqualification from attendance in parks, kindergartens, schools or any place where minors are regularly grouped.| |see CSSN News item here:|| https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/cssn-news-june-4-2023-convictions-in-assault-case-nombre-de-dios-panama/||UPDATED REPORT: This report replaces our prior preliminary report. The victims made contact with CSSN and provided additional details about the event.| |A monohull sailing yacht with 4 men and 2 women onboard departed Linton Bay and due to unfavorable conditions made an unplanned stop in Bahia Nombre de Dios, anchoring there at about 13:00 HRS. There were no other yachts present in the bay.| |At about 19:00 HRS, just after dark they were approached and overrun by 8 men who arrived in 3-4 pangas (engineless boats). The men concealed their faces and had hand guns (1 semi-automatic and a revolver) and knives. The crew was restrained and for approximately 45 minutes the men stole everything they could – cash, personal devices, boat electronics and gear, clothing, liquor and cigarettes.| |After the robbers departed the crew was able to remove their restraints and they returned to Linton Bay and berthed at the marina. The women were taken to the hospital for evaluation/treatment. Reports were made to the police, CG, port captain, and the home country consular officials contacted. | |The Panamanian police began their investigation and have made 6 arrests as of 12 November 2019.| |CSSN NOTE: There have been similar incidents reported in this same bay in the recent past. The first occurred in July 2019, and the most recent less than a week prior.

Incident Date: 2019-07-13 at 19:30

Event Type: Assault

Stolen Items: Cash, personal communication devices, laptops, entertainment electronics, videocameras, credit cards, satellite phone, drone, EPIRB

Secured: N/A

Source Type: 1st Hand Report

Incident Details: A monohull with 2 persons on board departed Linton Bay, Panama for the San Blas islands. Engine issues caused the yacht to make an unplanned stop in Bahia Nombre de Dios, where no other boats were anchored. The necessary repairs were completed but the hour was late and entering the San Blas in the dark was not an option. The crew planned to lock themselves in securely for the night.||They were down below and surprised just after sunset at 1930 HRS by noise on deck. The captain went up to the cockpit and was ambushed and then restrained by 2 swimmers who had boarded and concealed themselves behind opposite sides of the spray hood. Immediately a boat with 4 other men arrived and the captain was held at gunpoint, and then forced back down into the cabin. He had alerted his crew and she had locked herself into a cabin. There were now 6 men onboard, with their faces concealed by t-shirts. The leader held a semiautomatic handgun to the captain’s head. The crew decided the cabin would not remain safe and decided to cooperate fully and came out of the cabin.||For 45 minutes the men ransacked and inspected every space in the yacht, stealing cash, credit cards, phones, cameras and video equipment, laptops, a drone, EPIRB, etc. Several of the items were well concealed. Some of the men appeared to be high on drugs, and were only marginally under the control of the armed leader. Two of the men forced the crew member back into a cabin and indicated they intended to rape her, but the leader prevented this. Once they had collected all things of value all 6 men departed in their boat.||Finally, certain the men had departed the crew exited the cabin and untied the captain. They upped anchor to return to Linton Bay. They noticed their EPIRB blinking in the water near shore, apparently it had been dropped in the water and self-activated. The crew activated DSC and called pan pan on VHF but had NO response. AIS showed large ships nearby. The yacht arrived back at Linton Bay at 2200 HRS.||The Linton Bay marina security team noticed the bright light the crew was waving and went immediately to the anchored yacht. After understanding the situation marina personnel acted quickly and contacted Aeronaval (coastguard) who arrived in a few minutes from their nearby station. Some photos were taken and they indicated they would return with police on Monday, (24+ HRS later). Which they did, and they transported the victims to an inland town to make a formal police report. After many hours waiting no report was made due to the lack of a translator. A second meeting was scheduled and the translator was available and the formal report finally made 2 days later. Follow up sessions to collect forensics on the boat were scheduled for later in the week. The victims have informed their consular officials who are expected to assist.||CSSN NOTE: Unintentionally the water activated EPIRB fulfilled part of its intended purpose. After quick confirmation from the owner’s shore side contacts, who had up to date travel plans for the yacht, it was recognized that the unexpected land location was an emergency. Direct contact was then made with a nearby (2miles) police station and Aeronaval station (5 miles) but no action was taken by either. DSC and pan pan calls by the yacht did not generate any response or assistance.||UPDATED REPORT June 2, 2023 ||In a believed to be related case four men have been convicted of aggravated rape, aggravated robbery and illicit association, and will each serve 20 years in prison plus 5 years additional disqualification from attendance in parks, kindergartens, schools or any place where minors are regularly grouped.| |see CSSN News item here:|| https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/cssn-news-june-4-2023-convictions-in-assault-case-nombre-de-dios-panama/