2 Americans believed dead after their yacht was hijacked in Grenada

(CNN) — Two Americans who died after their yacht was hijacked by three escaped prisoners in Grenada are remembered by their acquaintances as a compassionate couple.

The couple was identified by their yacht club as Cathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, a couple from Virginia who were wintering in the eastern Caribbean after sailing their yacht, Simplicity, from Hampton, Virginia to Antigua.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the couple, but Granada police said they had detained three men who escaped from prison on February 18 and who may have killed two people, apparently American citizens.

“Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are veteran sailors and members of the Salty Dog Sailing Association (SDSA) since its early days. Warm and competent, they both contributed to the building of SDSA and Kathy sat on the association board for two years,” SDSA said in a news release. was

The club shared a statement from Brandel and Hendry’s family.

“We want to reach out to the entire boating community to express our gratitude to everyone who worked to gather eyewitness information and provide search and rescue assistance. It means a lot to us that so many people cared for Ralph and Cathy as friends and shipmates. .Navigation that they were willing to stop and assist in any way possible,” Brandel’s son Nick Burrow and Hendry’s son Brian Hendry said in a statement.

The family called on other sailors and anyone not connected to the official investigation to stop their search and thanked the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police and Coast Guard for their investigation.

“We believe the only way this situation could be worse is if someone is injured or put in danger while trying to search,” the statement said.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created in Nick Burrow’s name to fund the recovery of the couple’s yacht and belongings, funeral expenses and assistance.

CNN reached out to the families of both Americans but did not receive a response.

According to the SDSA, the club’s executive director contacted them when a passing “good Samaritan” stumbled upon the abandoned yacht and discovered the club’s contact information.

“On Wednesday, February 21, Tatja Hopman, executive director of the Salty Dog Sailing Association, was alerted by a cruise skipper that a member’s yacht, Simplicity, was anchored and abandoned on a beach off the southern coast of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent,” explains The club “came aboard the Good Samaritans and found that the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were not on board and found evidence of apparent violence. SDSA contact information was posted and they contacted the association”. The nautical association said the skipper also contacted the coast guard, who notified the San Vicente police.

Club president Bob Osborne expressed his condolences to the families and said the violence was unprecedented.

“This is a very random incident and authorities have not yet confirmed the details, but it appears to be a tragic incident – our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them,” Osborne said in a statement. was “I spoke to the families and offered our deepest condolences and help in any way possible. In all my years of sailing in the Caribbean, I had never heard of anything like this.”

In a statement on Friday, the US State Department said it was “aware of these reports involving US citizens. We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information.”

On Saturday, Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Superintendent Junior O. Simmons told CNN that the suspects are cooperating with the investigation and that more information will be released.

CNN’s Jillian Sykes, Abel Alvarado and Aaron Eggleston contributed to this report.