A multi-day search operation for two missing people following a deadly late-night boat collision off the western coast of Saint Lucia has concluded, with law enforcement officials confirming both victims’ remains were recovered on Wednesday morning.
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force announced that the bodies of Marley William and Tyrone Elivique, both residents of Baron’s Drive in the coastal town of Soufrière, were located in waters off Anse La Raye Bay during a three-hour search window between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.
With the recovery of William and Elivique, the total death toll from the July 18 collision has risen to four. Police had previously identified the two other fatal victims: 21-year-old Mhakeida Nestor, a resident of La Fargue in Choiseul, and 25-year-old Debbie Dolor, who lived on Market Road in Soufrière.
The tragic incident unfolded just five minutes before midnight on Saturday, July 18, near the coastal area of Anse Cochon. The collision involved two commercial motor vessels operating in the region: the Ocean Angel and the Mango Tours. Initial investigative findings outline that the Mango Tours vessel was traveling southbound when it collided head-on with the northbound Ocean Angel. Authorities have confirmed that the wreckage of both damaged vessels has since been retrieved from the collision site for forensic examination.
Fourteen additional people sustained injuries in the crash. All injured individuals were first transported to Soufrière Hospital for immediate medical evaluation and stabilization. Those with more severe, life-threatening injuries were later transferred to the island’s two main public hospitals to receive advanced ongoing care. As of the latest update, no further details have been released on the current condition of the injured survivors.
Local law enforcement has confirmed that official investigations into the root causes of the collision, including potential factors like operator error, equipment failure, poor visibility or adverse water conditions, remain ongoing. Authorities have not yet announced a timeline for the release of the full final investigative report.