Man found dead in boat off Belize coast identified as Canadian

The beaches of Ambergris Caye, Belize, shown in this December 2005 photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Vicki Smith

Local media in the Central American country of Belize have identified a man found dead in a drifting catamaran off the country’s coast as a Canadian from Vancouver.

An interview with the commandant of the Belize Coast Guard posted online by radio station Love FM says it was notified of a vessel in distress on Monday but the boat was initially outside the country’s jurisdiction.

Gregory Soberanis said the drifting boat came into contact with a cruise ship that was able to rescue a woman on board, but it could not take the body.

He says days later the boat was in their jurisdiction and was brought to shore.

Francis Usher, the CEO of the Ministry of National Defence in Belize, said police are treating the boat as a potential crime scene, because “apparent wounds” were found on the body which was in a state of decomposition.

Usher said the man’s son has arrived in Belize and is in communication with both the Coast Guard and the police as he makes arrangements to take his father’s body home.

He said the son told investigators his father left with a woman about a week ago from Livingston, Guatemala.

“There are apparent wounds on the body of the father and the female was in distress and boarded the cruise ship. So, just to have further details onto what exactly happened, I think further investigation is necessary,” he said.

“The Coast Guard will secure the vessel as long as the police department needs to conduct their investigation. We will play a supporting role in any way that they need, but this is primarily a law enforcement operation at this time,” Usher said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2026

The Canadian Press