Carib Scope

博客

  • Brace for water shortage due to extreme hot weather, say forecasters

    Brace for water shortage due to extreme hot weather, say forecasters

    On August 3, 2026, Guyana’s national Hydrometeorological Service (Hydromet) issued an urgent official warning, cautioning residents across the South American nation that the strengthening El Niño climate pattern will trigger an extended period of extreme heat through much of the rest of the year, raising the threat of severe, widespread water shortages.

    El Niño, a recurring climate phenomenon defined by unusual warming of surface waters across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific alongside weakened trade winds, is the core driver behind the forecasted extreme conditions. Hydromet’s latest seasonal climate outlook projects a dramatic spike in the number of extreme hot spell days for 2026, a sharp deviation from the country’s historical climate averages. While Guyana normally records a maximum of 30 hot spell days in a full year, the updated forecast predicts the total could reach as high as 80 this year, with the most intense heat concentrated between August and at least October 2026.

    Hydromet defines a hot spell as a consecutive stretch of two or more days of record-breaking extreme temperatures. The agency confirmed that every region across Guyana will see fewer rainy days than the long-term average, with both daytime and overnight temperatures remaining well above normal seasonal benchmarks. The highest frequency of extreme hot days is expected to impact five key regions: Demerara-Mahaica (Region 4), Mahaica-West Berbice (Region 5), East Berbice-Corentyne (Region 6), Potaro-Siparuni (Region 8) and Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10). Hinterland and remote vulnerable communities will face the most acute risks from the extended dry period, which will cut access to reliable water supplies for residential use, agricultural production and other core economic activities.

    The ripple effects of the prolonged heat and drought will extend across nearly every major sector of Guyana’s economy and public life. For the agricultural industry, reduced rainfall and sustained high temperatures will leave crops suffering from critical moisture stress, degrade the quality of grazing pasture, and increase water demand for livestock herds. In forested and savannah regions, parched vegetation combined with record high temperatures will drastically raise the risk of uncontrolled bush and forest fires.

    The transportation sector will also face significant disruptions: lowered river water levels will impede inland river navigation in many areas, interrupting the movement of residents, commercial goods and essential public services. Unpaved rural roads will become extremely dusty as dry conditions persist, cutting driver visibility and raising road safety risks. While Hydromet did not forecast widespread power outages, the agency noted that sustained extreme heat will push up electricity demand, as households and businesses ramp up use of air conditioning and cooling systems, placing extra strain on the country’s national power grid.

    Public health and education systems are also bracing for impacts. Sustained extreme heat will increase discomfort in school classrooms and raise the risk of heat-related illness among students. For public health, prolonged exposure to extreme high temperatures is projected to increase cases of dehydration, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke, with children, older adults, people with pre-existing chronic medical conditions, and outdoor workers facing the highest vulnerability.

    In response to the forecast, Hydromet has issued a comprehensive set of public advisories to help residents and communities prepare for the extreme conditions. The agency urges the public to stay consistently hydrated, practice ongoing water conservation throughout the extended dry period, limit strenuous outdoor activity between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when temperatures peak, and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to reduce heat absorption. It also called on education authorities to ensure all schools maintain adequate supplies of safe drinking water, and to prioritize heat safety protocols for students and staff. To reduce wildfire risk, the public has been warned to avoid any activity that could spark unintended fires, including open burning of waste or vegetation. Farmers are advised to closely monitor crop and livestock conditions and ensure consistent access to high-quality water for their operations.

    Hydromet emphasized that even though El Niño brings overall warmer and drier conditions to Guyana, periods of heavy rainfall remain possible during the forecast period. The agency confirmed it will continue ongoing monitoring of evolving climate conditions and will issue regular, timely updates to support community preparedness and help public and private stakeholders make informed adaptation decisions.

  • News : Zapping…

    News : Zapping…

    A collection of key recent developments spanning migration enforcement, law enforcement actions, public works initiatives, civil aviation upgrades and health sector reinforcements across Hispaniola, the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, sheds light on the ongoing challenges and incremental progress shaping both nations in early August 2026.

    In the Dominican Republic, the country’s migration authority has announced sweeping enforcement results from a nearly two-year operation. Vice Admiral Luis Rafael, director general of the Dominican Directorate General of Migration (DGM), shared the figures during a recent graduation ceremony for 162 newly trained immigration officers. Over the past 22 months, DGM operational teams have removed 704,142 Haitian nationals residing in the country without valid immigration status, Rafael confirmed. The agency head also outlined a significant expansion of the DGM’s operational capacity since he assumed leadership of the institution in October 2014. At that time, the DGM employed only 302 total officers, with just 235 assigned to frontline immigration control work. Today, the agency’s total staffing has grown to 1,388 officers, 1,272 of whom are actively deployed in control and enforcement operations across the country.

    Turning to Haiti, national law enforcement has secured a key arrest tied to gang activity that has long destabilized parts of the country. In a targeted surveillance operation carried out the night of Saturday, August 1 2026 in Port-au-Prince’s Delmas 75 neighborhood, agents from the Criminal Affairs Bureau under the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) took 22-year-old Laury Lacombe, who goes by the alias Tikreyòl, into custody. Lacombe is the wife of Ralph Woodmyr Louissaint—known by the alias Chalè—a high-profile gang leader whose faction has terrorized residents of the Tokyo neighborhood along Rue Saint-Martin. Investigators allege Lacombe played an active role in the gang’s criminal operations, and she remains in detention as interrogations continue.

    In a separate domestic criminal case, Haitian National Police (PNH) officers arrested a man accused of murdering his own wife in the Jacmel region. The arrest took place on the morning of Monday, August 3 2026 in the Lamontagne neighborhood of Jacmel. The suspect, 36-year-old Justin Duffault, is accused of killing his 33-year-old spouse Marie Pascale Antoine Duffault on July 27, one week prior to his capture. Initial investigative findings confirm the victim was stabbed multiple times in the attack.

    Also in Jacmel, municipal authorities launched a multi-day public space improvement initiative, wrapping up its second day of targeted sidewalk clearing operations on August 3. The effort aims to remove illegal encroachments on pedestrian right-of-way to restore unobstructed movement for walkers and improve public access to shared urban spaces. The Jacmel City Hall carried out the operation with coordinated support from the Haitian National Police, the Protected Areas Security Brigade (BSAP), and other local and national government agencies. Municipal officials have thanked residents who have already complied with the new regulations, and issued a renewed appeal to all local business owners and merchants to respect the formal rules governing public space use moving forward.

    In northern Haiti’s Cap-Haïtien, the National Civil Aviation Office (OFNAC) has launched a new passenger support service at Cap-Haïtien International Airport. On August 3, the agency officially inaugurated a dedicated complaints and assistance office for air travelers. The new facility is designed to give passengers a formal point of contact when they believe their travel rights have been violated, and to streamline the processing of complaints filed against commercial airlines. “Our goal is to act as a neutral intermediary between passengers and air carriers to resolve disputes and improve the overall relationship between the two groups,” explained Enold Joseph, OFNAC’s regional coordinator for northern Haiti.

    Finally, in Haiti’s southern Nippes department, health authorities have received a critical new shipment of pharmaceutical supplies to bolster local care access. Departmental Health Director Dr. Esther Ceus-Dumond accepted the batch of medications, which was donated by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health to strengthen the department’s under-resourced public health system. Dr. Ceus-Dumond has publicly committed to strict, transparent management of the supply to guarantee it reaches vulnerable patients in need of care. “As long as I hold this position, every medication provided by the state will reach the population that needs it and depends on it for care,” she stated.

  • President Simons: Geen lening afgesloten bij Bank of America

    President Simons: Geen lening afgesloten bij Bank of America

    On Monday, Suriname President Jennifer Simons publicly refuted widespread rumors that the South American nation secured a new loan from Bank of America during her recent working visit to London. Speaking at an official government press conference, the head of state clarified that her discussions with Bank of America representatives had a single clear focus: laying the groundwork for a strategic bilateral partnership and accessing global financial expertise as Suriname prepares for the expected influx of new oil and gas revenue.

    Responding to targeted questions from reporters about the high-level London meeting, Simons emphasized that international interest in Suriname’s emerging energy sector has grown substantially in recent months, making proactive preparations for imminent economic shifts all the more critical. “We did not go to London to borrow money,” the president stressed. “What we did do was strengthen institutional ties and formalize agreements for targeted expertise and advisory support.”

    Simons explained that the meeting was convened in London because Bank of America’s global chief executive was located in the city and extended an invitation for talks. During the several-hour discussion, attendees from both sides covered a range of priority topics, including the ongoing expansion and modernization of Suriname’s domestic financial system, and how international specialized knowledge can support that process. Joining President Simons for the talks were Suriname’s Minister of Finance and Planning Adelien Wijnerman and her senior advisor Sigmund Proeve, while Bank of America was represented by a full team of senior financial experts.

    A core focus of the meeting, Simons noted, was building readiness for the large capital inflows that will accompany Suriname’s growing oil and gas production. The president argued that these impending economic changes require a modern, resilient financial system capable of withstanding cross-border risks and global economic volatility. “We have to align our banking regulations and our entire financial framework with a new era where significant capital will enter the country,” Simons said. “We must protect our nation and build a robust, stable financial system that serves all Surinamese people.”

    The meeting marked the opening of deeper collaboration between Suriname and major global financial institutions, according to the president. She added that the Suriname government is already holding parallel talks with other international banks to secure additional support for the continued development of the country’s financial sector, ahead of the projected ramp-up in energy output.

  • Agriculture : Donation of post-harvest equipment to reduce losses and improve incomes

    Agriculture : Donation of post-harvest equipment to reduce losses and improve incomes

    Haiti’s agricultural sector is receiving targeted support to address one of its most costly ongoing challenges: widespread post-harvest losses that have drained rural household incomes for decades. Launched as part of the national Resilient Agriculture for Food Security Project (known locally by its French acronym PARSA), the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) is rolling out new infrastructure and equipment to small-scale producers across the country’s South Department, with full financing from the World Bank.

    The core of the current initiative focuses on expanding access to on-farm drying and storage infrastructure, a gap that has long left Haitian farmers vulnerable to spoilage and reduced crop quality. To date, project teams have completed construction of 150 20-square-meter drying sheds, distributed across four South Department municipalities: 57 in Cavaillon, 60 in Saint-Louis-du-Sud, 25 in Port-Salut, and 15 in Saint-Jean-du-Sud. Each shed is built directly on the beneficiary’s property to cut down on transport time and make daily drying operations more accessible for small family farms.

    The purpose-built drying spaces are designed to accommodate a wide range of Haiti’s staple and export crops, including maize, beans, sorghum, cocoa, and coffee. To amplify the project’s community impact, participating farmers are encouraged to share their drying infrastructure with neighboring producers when not in use, fostering collective benefit across local agricultural networks.

    Before the PARSA project launched, the lack of dedicated post-harvest infrastructure led to devastating losses for smallholders in the region. Without proper drying and storage facilities, crops were frequently exposed to moisture, pests, and spoilage, lowering overall produce quality, cutting market value, and shrinking already tight household incomes for thousands of family farms.

    Beyond drying infrastructure, the project delivers tailored equipment to match the specific needs of different producer operations. Farmers opting for expanded storage receive two commercial silos, while those requesting small-scale tools receive a kit including two drums, four waterproof tarpaulins, and one wheelbarrow to support post-harvest handling and transport.

    In early April 2026, a MARNDR monitoring team traveled to Port-Salut to evaluate how beneficiaries are using the new equipment and infrastructure, and to measure early impacts on local production and processing activities. Early assessments confirm that the new resources have already cut post-harvest loss rates significantly, while improving overall crop quality for market sale.

    MARNDR officials note that the investments deliver a tangible, solution-focused response to longstanding post-harvest challenges in Haiti’s southern agricultural region. By combining infrastructure improvements, targeted equipment distribution, and ongoing technical support, the project works to upgrade storage conditions, boost rural household incomes, and drive sustainable modernization of small-scale Haitian farms. Ultimately, the initiative advances MARNDR’s broader goal of building a more productive, climate-resilient agricultural sector that can reliably advance national food security goals.

  • Suriname stuurt voedsel en hulpgoederen naar aardbevingsgebied Venezuela

    Suriname stuurt voedsel en hulpgoederen naar aardbevingsgebied Venezuela

    On Monday, neighboring Suriname launched its first batch of emergency humanitarian assistance to Venezuela, nearly six weeks after a severe earthquake left widespread destruction across the South American nation. The initial cargo flight departed from Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, carrying 1,000 pre-packed food kits and other critical daily necessities for communities impacted by the June 24 disaster. A second, larger shipment carrying 52 metric tons of rice and clean drinking water is scheduled to arrive later this week.

    Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation, Melvin Bouva, spoke at the send-off ceremony, emphasizing that the aid mission reflects the country’s commitment as a responsible neighbor and active regional partner. Each of the 1,000 food packages weighs approximately 10 kilograms, stocked with staple goods including rice, flour, beans, cooking oil, sugar, canned tuna, corned beef, sardines and other non-perishable food items. The shipment also includes bed linens and pillows to support displaced families who lost their homes in the quake.

    “Suriname stands with Venezuela as a good neighbor and trusted partner,” Bouva stated. “This assistance is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting a friendly nation as it launches its post-disaster reconstruction process.” He added that Suriname and Venezuela have maintained long-standing cross-sector cooperation, and during a recent diplomatic visit to Caracas, officials from both sides discussed new opportunities for collaboration in agriculture, tourism and education.

    Glennys Hernández, Consul representing the Venezuelan government, expressed sincere gratitude for Suriname’s timely support. She shared the latest official impact figures from the earthquake: the disaster has destroyed nearly 5,000 residential buildings, claimed hundreds of lives, injured approximately 5,600 people, and left roughly 23,800 displaced residents still residing in temporary emergency shelters. “Suriname’s aid is invaluable, and it brings renewed hope to families that have lost everything,” Hernández said.

    Bouva noted that the humanitarian operation demonstrates that diplomacy is not limited to diplomatic dialogue—it also translates into tangible, practical support for nations reeling from natural disasters. Both Suriname and Venezuelan officials highlighted that the joint aid effort reinforces the long-standing friendly bilateral ties between the two countries, and reaffirms their shared commitment to supporting the full recovery and reconstruction of Venezuela’s earthquake-impacted regions.

  • Grandmother Says Police Got It Wrong After Vernon Street Killing

    Grandmother Says Police Got It Wrong After Vernon Street Killing

    On the afternoon of August 3, 2026, a fatal midday shooting on Vernon Street in Belize City has left a young print shop worker dead and sparked a family dispute over police investigative actions.

    Nineteen-year-old Eworth Hernandez, a local print shop employee, left his home heading to work Wednesday, never to arrive at his destination or return alive. The shooting unfolded in broad daylight directly in front of Swift Hall, sending shockwaves through the neighborhood. News of the incident reached Hernandez’s family immediately, who rushed to the emergency department of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where they struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of their young relative.

    Authorities have not yet released confirmed details on the underlying motive for the gunfire. Shortly after the shooting, Belizean police conducted a raid on a neighboring residential property, taking multiple young men from the home into custody for questioning. Among those detained are grandchildren of the elderly Belize City resident who has now spoken out, claiming law enforcement has targeted the wrong people.

    In an on-record interview with local outlet News Five, the grandmother pushed back against police action, saying: “I would want the police to leave my grandchildren alone, because my grandchildren are not even doing what they say. They already have one for a cycle over there. All kind of things they are holding my grandchildren for. They run all the way in the room for the little boy and the little boy, one of them just wake up and one is laying on the bed. They handcuff the two of them. They took four of them, or five.”

    When asked if she believed her grandchildren could be involved in the killing, she flatly denied any connection: “They say they carried them for some murder in Martins. You think your grandchildren they capable of committing such a crime? No, no, no. I nuh seh deh nuh talk deh kind of craziness, but they don’t do those things.”

    According to official updates from the Belize Police Department, surveillance camera footage from the area led to the detention of one suspect connected to the shooting, while a second person of interest remains at large. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, Staff Officer for the department, confirmed to reporters that city-wide surveillance infrastructure was key to locating the individual already in custody.

    Smith laid out a detailed timeline of the incident for reporters: “The investigation commenced today at around 1:15 p.m., when officers on patrol were alerted to shots being fired on Vernon Street in Belize City. A team of officers responded to the scene where they observed an injured Mr. Hernandez who was rushed for medical attention. However, he succumbed to the injuries he sustained.”

    She further detailed the sequence of events captured by nearby cameras: “What police have been able to establish having reviewed video footage in the area is that Mr. Hernandez was travelling on Vernon Street near the intersection with Partridge Street when he stopped on the side of the road and remained on his motorcycle. Some minutes later he was approached by two male person and one produced a firearm and fired a single shot which struck Mr. Hernandez. Police were able to detain a male person who matched the description of one of the suspects and that person remains in detention as investigations continues.”

    When responding directly to the grandmother’s claims that police incorrectly detained her family members during the immediate post-shooting operation, Smith defended law enforcement actions. She stated that all investigative steps taken were based on evidence gathered from city surveillance systems, and assured the public that all police operations are conducted within legal boundaries: “What I can say is that there are police cameras all over Belize City and in other parts of the country and based on what was seen on those cameras certain actions were taken. I want to assure everybody that police operation will be done within the confines of the law as investigation continues.”

    As of Wednesday evening, investigators have not yet confirmed why Hernandez was in the Vernon Street area at the time of the shooting, and the probe remains ongoing with no established motive. This report is a transcript of a televised evening newscast, with Kriol-language quotations transcribed using standard spelling conventions.

  • Presentation of the development plan for Cap

    Presentation of the development plan for Cap

    On July 30, 2026, Haiti took a major step forward in upgrading its national transportation infrastructure with the official presentation of a comprehensive development plan for Cap-Haïtien International Airport. Held under the auspices of the country’s National Airport Authority (AAN), the ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, marking the government’s continued commitment to advancing strategic infrastructure projects across the nation.

    Designed internally by AAN’s Planning and Engineering Department, the multi-stage plan outlines four interconnected projects aimed at progressively modernizing the airport’s aging facilities. This initiative forms a core part of the broader sector-wide transformation of Haiti’s aviation industry, with dual goals: upgrading the country’s travel connectivity to meet rising passenger demand, and unlocking new economic growth opportunities for Haiti’s northern region.

    Each of the four projects addresses a specific operational bottleneck currently limiting the airport’s performance. First, a purpose-built new departure hall will be constructed exclusively for domestic flights, ending the current inefficient practice of using the shared arrivals hall for domestic passenger boarding. This separation is expected to cut down on wait times and reduce crowding for both domestic and international travelers.

    Second, the existing international departure hall will be expanded vertically with the addition of a new floor, creating more space to accommodate the steady growth in international tourist and business travel to the region. Third, the paved road section connecting the airport’s main and secondary tarmacs will undergo full rehabilitation, streamlining movement between different operational zones of the airfield and boosting overall operational efficiency for ground crews and aircraft alike.

    Finally, the on-aircraft parking area will be extended to accommodate additional aircraft during peak travel periods. This expansion is designed to reduce the risk of ground congestion, speed up aircraft turnaround times, and strengthen overall safety for all ground operations at the airport.

    Officials emphasized that the plan aligns with the Haitian government’s long-term strategy to deliver modern, resilient infrastructure that meets global aviation standards. By investing in key transportation hubs like Cap-Haïtien International Airport, the administration aims to strengthen national connectivity, support local economic development, and lay the groundwork for sustained growth in the tourism and trade sectors in northern Haiti.

  • Pregnant Woman, Kimane Garbutt, Found Dead on Vernon Street

    Pregnant Woman, Kimane Garbutt, Found Dead on Vernon Street

    A tragic and unsettling discovery in Belize City has launched a formal police investigation into the death of a young pregnant woman, whose remains were found inside a downtown residential building early this month. On Sunday, August 2, 2026, authorities responded to a 9:30 a.m. emergency call from a friend of 22-year-old Kimane Garbutt, who had gained entry to Garbutt’s second-floor Vernon Street apartment after repeated attempts to contact her went unanswered. When the friend entered the space, they found Garbutt’s decomposed body and immediately alerted local law enforcement.

    According to Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, Staff Officer for the Belize Police Department, Garbutt was last confirmed alive at approximately 7 a.m. on August 1, 2026. At that final interaction, the 22-year-old, who was carrying an unborn child, told a close friend she was feeling unwell. Concerned for her wellbeing the next morning, the friend checked in on her just two hours after police were ultimately called to the scene.

    As the investigation moves into its early stages, law enforcement has not yet labeled the death as suspicious. Smith confirmed that no foul play is suspected at this point in the inquiry, but emphasized that a full postmortem examination is required to pinpoint the exact medical cause of Garbutt’s death. Garbutt’s body is currently being held pending that forensic examination, which investigators say will clarify the sequence of events leading up to her passing and resolve any remaining unanswered questions about the case.

    This report is adapted from a televised evening newscast originally published online, with all statements from officials transcribed accurately for public distribution.

  • One Rescued, One Missing After Fishing Trip

    One Rescued, One Missing After Fishing Trip

    In a developing maritime emergency off the coast of Belize, a routine fishing voyage between Caye Caulker and Belize City has devolved into an ongoing search and rescue mission, with one man recovered alive and his companion still unaccounted for as of Monday, August 3, 2026.

    The two fishermen, Samuel Chi and Albert Vacarro, contacted their family members shortly before 7 p.m. on Sunday to report they were en route to the Belize mainland. When the pair failed to arrive at their destination by the end of the night, local authorities were alerted and launched an immediate search operation.

    Lieutenant Mark Choc, Operations Officer for the Belize Coast Guard, outlined the step-by-step response to the unfolding incident in a statement to local media. First responders dispatched an initial Coast Guard patrol from Caye Caulker, which systematically searched waters stretching from the island to Vista Del Mar through midnight Sunday. When that first sweep yielded no sign of the two fishermen or their vessel, a secondary search unit was activated at approximately 1 a.m. Monday to reinforce the effort.

    Through the early morning hours of Monday, no trace of the pair was found. By 9 a.m., authorities expanded the operation into a full joint search mission, bringing in assets from the Belize Port Authority and the Belize Fisheries Department to expand the search area. Just two hours later, at around 11 a.m., a Belize Coast Guard vessel located Vacarro floating in open water.

    The survivor was found southwest of Hicks Caye, 10 miles west of Belize City and approximately five miles off the mainland coast. First responders conducted an immediate medical assessment, which confirmed Vacarro was suffering from severe dehydration and significant disorientation. In his confused state, he was unable to provide details about what led to the incident or what became of his traveling companion Chi.

    As of Monday evening, Chi remains missing, along with the fishing vessel the two men were operating. Authorities have not been able to pinpoint the location of either the vessel or Chi, and search operations are set to continue through the coming days.

    Choc added that medical care for the recovered Vacarro is the top priority for authorities, and no formal interviews will be conducted with him until his health is stabilized. This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television newscast covering the developing incident.

  • Two Men Found Dead After Separate Drowning Incidents

    Two Men Found Dead After Separate Drowning Incidents

    Two communities in northern and central Belize are grappling with grief this week after two separate drowning incidents over the weekend claimed the lives of two adult men, with official investigations now underway to confirm the exact circumstances of both deaths.

    The first fatality was recorded in Belmopan, where 38-year-old Rudy Bernabe Toj, a Guatemalan national residing on Otoxha Street in Belmopan City, was found unresponsive in a local creek in the San Martin neighborhood on the morning of Sunday, August 2, 2026. First responders were dispatched to the scene at approximately 7:30 a.m. following a report from area residents. Upon arrival, crews attempted lifesaving resuscitation measures on Toj, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Investigators also located an empty transparent alcohol container at the scene, leading authorities to preliminary suspect that Toj had consumed alcoholic beverages before entering the water.

    A second unrelated drowning unfolded in the Orange Walk District, where 44-year-old Luciano Acosta of Orange Walk Town died after a canoe he was fishing in overturned at Honey Camp Lagoon. The incident dates back to a group outing on Saturday, August 1, when Acosta joined friends and family for a day of recreation at the popular lagoon. At around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, Acosta and another man launched a canoe to go fishing, but the small watercraft capsized shortly after they set out. The second man managed to swim to safety at a nearby mangrove stand and was rescued by other members of the group, but Acosta went missing. Search crews located his partially submerged unresponsive body hours later near a mangrove patch, with authorities notified at 8:30 a.m. the same day.

    Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, a staff officer with the Belize Police Department, confirmed the details of both active investigations in a public briefing. Both men’s remains are currently being held pending formal post-mortem examinations, which will confirm the official cause of death for each victim. As of Tuesday, no foul play is suspected in either incident, but police have not ruled out any contributing factors as they continue their review.