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Missing charter from Miami Beach...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Captned
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 63
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this is an odd story.. very suspicious. "piracy" is pretty rare in these waters but who knows. Smugling comes to mind but why would whoever took control abandon the boat?

I wonder about the 6th passenger for which there is no name... weird story, I hope they find the crew but if any foul play is involved, i doubt they will.

very sad.
 
The four crew guys were very straight up fishing guys. One of the mates was in the Marina store saturday afternoon buying a bunch of bait so they could fish on the way back. The mate told the store guy that " Its kinda wierd, they just want a ride to Bimini. I hope there not terrorists or something." Geeeezzzz....

Had to be foul play...

Captned
 
They found the boat down at the Cay Sal banks. that's a really long way form Bimini and in the wrong direction and against the gulfstream current. Yeah, it really seems Fishy (pardon the pun).
 
These passengers in the lift boat must know something. I don't think the CG is telling us all that know at this point. Also, where are these guns that he had aboard? This doesn't sound good.
 
I find it a little odd that a 19 year old kid would pay $4k just for a ride to Bimini. I supose its not impossible for a 19 year old to have that money, but it doesn't seem entirely on the up and up.

Hope they're all right.
 
This really does not look good. One of the passengers is wanted for a January heist of $92k.

That would explain why a 19 year old would be willing to put up $4000 cash for a no questions asked one way ticket out of the US. I can only speculate that once underway, the passengers demanded a course change to Cuba and the Capt & crew resisted.

Hope I'm wrong and things turn out OK.
 
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Is $4000 cash unusal for this kind of charter? It sounds like this captain was experienced enough and savy enough to carry a gun...wonder why he wasn't able to use it....
 
This is a very interesting story. You would think that satellite imagery would at least pinpoint when and where the vessel became inoperable or began to drift to start to try and pull this all together. Not sure how classified the imagery is but you would think the CG or Homeland Security could access it to pursue or rule out any terrorism or otherwise.
 
Both passengers are named. Zarabozo and Archer were the only passengers on board with a crew of four counting the owner and his wife.

Regarding the Bimini thing, is $4K too far off for a run to Bimini in a 47’er, except for a little enticement to assure that the captain will be more than willing.

Satellite imagery is probably something that the government would rather fewer people know what is under surveillance and it’s capabilities.

I don’t think this event had anything to do with terrorism. My bet is that illicit “phamaceuticles” were heavily involved. It’s going to be very interesting how the two survivors explain abandoning ship which remained afloat without it’s captain and crew. I’m afraid it dosen’t look good for them. Hope I am wrong!
 
I suspect this scenario occurred: Both buddies conjured up a plan to live it up and hide from authorities in Bimini (which would be easy with all that cash). They realize after departing that they need their passport and ID to enter Bimini. Plan goes awash. Next plan thought up by Hialeah boy, is to go to Cuba instead. They propose it to Captain Jake who rejects it. If they were armed they probably used Kelly as a hostage. A struggle ensues. Captain Jake, in order to keep Kelly and crew safe. submits to their demand only temporily while devising a plan of his own. Maybe they all jumped overboard (hey, are there life jackets missing?). Now these guys are screwed because I suspect a redneck from Arkansas and a dumbass from Hialeah doesn't know crap about boat navigation so they somehow by accident deploy the life raft thinking they could drift to Cuba themselves, of course, ignorant as to the Gulfstream's current which is why they were found 12 miles north of the boat. Hopefully, the crew is safe and will be found.
 
Had Archer and Zarabozo scuttled the boat I'd buy into your (Sokeen's) theory. They could claim that the boat took on water and the others perished.

Captain Jake's grandfather, Joe Branam, was informed that Archer acknowledged not having a passport before boarding.

Cuba ain't gonna do much good to criminal's on the run, especially with $90 grand of Wal-Mart's stolen dough.

Drug related piracy is one thing and has happened in the past, especially where relatively fast SF's are concerned. How we wind up with one crook and one apparently innocent teenager in a raft, and the unoccupied boat drifting some 12 miles further south (with evidence of a struggle) beats me. I can't wait to hear what the coasties learn from the "passangers" who were picked up. I sure hope the others are safe and will be found soon!
 
BTW, the newsreel said that the FBI boarded the cutter after the "passengers" were picked up.

No doubt an intense interrogation is under way by professionals. In less than one hour the kid will start singing.

Bet we'll know something by late this evening.
 
i guess if they were going to Bimini, all documents needed to clear customs were on the boat, which may explained the CG comment about the boat was in disarray... so maybe they were planning on just stealing the boat and spend some times in cuba... many canadians and europeans go there and cuban authorities dont' mind if US flagged boats come in either. Cash isn't gong to raise eyebrows, that's all US citizens can use there anyway...

then from Cuba it's only a short run to Mexico, belize, etc...

What are the odds of being boarded by USCG once they're past cuba ?

taht's the most likely therory at this time. I doubt they'll find the crew, very sad story. I wish the coasties could just tie them to the stern of the cutter and troll till a sharks grabs them. that's what they deserve.
 
Stick 'em a couple of times with a steak knife first (in the leg, of course - wouldn't want it to be mortal!) so the sharks are certain to notice.....
 
Maybe the boat had drifted farthur north by the time the Coast Guard found it and the crew is in Cuba or on some island. Did the boat have a tender as well as a liferaft?

CBS4 stated that the boat was towed back with FBI agents aboard and that the boat's gps showed erratic course changes halfway to Bimini before changing course to south.
 
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I'm in Long Beach Ca. at the moment and that story was the "lead in" for the local news station when it happened.

It was interesting to listen to the newscasters talk about it after the clip was shown.... Both didn't have a clue about boating and were positive there would be a happy ending with all people being found alive...

Guess I should of offered to sell them swamp land....

Anyway, be back in Fla late tomorrow nite, had to bring my Mom out here to say "good by" to her oldest, my brother, who is in stage 4 cancer..... He's a marathon runner, never smoked, did drugs, ate tofu and other "healthy things" all his life.....

So the next time you think "Naw, I'll take the boat out some other time".... Take it out now......... You just never know.
 
Charlie, I am very sorry to learn of your brother's declining health. I wish you the strength and stamina to find your way through this very difficult time. Your comments are generous and wise, thank you for thinking of others in your darkest hours.

Your family will be in our prayers and I hope your brother, your family and you can find some comfort in knowing our thoughts and prayers are with you. Bless you for helping your mother through this sadness. I will ask you be given the continued strength and understanding in this terribly sad time.
 
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