Independence Fisherman Missing; Boat Found with Bullet Holes

Karl Wagner

The Belize Coast Guard is currently conducting a search for Karl Wagner after his fishing boat was found capsized and riddled with bullets. Wagner, a resident of Independence Village, set out to sea in a black and white boat name NEESHA with a seventy-horsepower Yamaha outboard engine, on Friday night. No one has seen or heard from him since then. An official missing report has been made.  The Coast Guard is treating Wagner’s disappearance as urgent and asking for the public’s help.

Mark Sambula

Senior Chief Mark Sambula, Operations Chief, Belize Coast Guard

“On Saturday, July twenty fourth at around eight twenty four p.m., the operations center received a call in regards to a missing person on a vessel at sea. The individual who called, we informed them to make an official police report which they did. The Coast Guard was activated. We later learnt that the individual was one Mr. Karl Wagner from Independence. A search was conducted approximately six nautical miles south where the vessel was found. The vessel was recovered. And, the situation is under investigation at this time. The vessel was found with apparent bullet holes. The individual, as we speak at this time, is not yet found.”

Fitzroy Yearwood

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“It has raised some interest by the police even more, when his vessel was discovered by Independence Police. That vessel is in police custody. We cannot give a definite location of the owner. But I am certain we are treating this incident with utmost urgency. Because, one, he was last seen onboard his vessel. And, if we have that vessel we have to try to locate him.”