Ronald Palma is Missing!

Ronald Palma

Police and Coast Guard responded to a report of a body floating near Saddle Caye on Sunday morning, but so far their search efforts haven’t turned up anything.  Police say that the authorities have been searching the area because of the report made of a missing fisherman.  Thirty-three-year-old Ronald Palma was reported missing off the coast of Hopkins. Palma is a fisherman who resides in Belize City, but works on a small caye near Hopkins. Today, we asked Superintendent Alejandro Cowo if there is a report on file for Palma. He says that the family reported him missing this weekend.

Alejandro Cowo

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division

“The wife visited the station yesterday and she mentioned that she last heard from Mister Palma on Thursday when she made a call to him and he told her certain things. Based on that, she had tried to call him on several other occasions and she didn’t get any response. So, she visited the station yesterday and made a report. Police from Belize City contacted Hopkins police who began to work on this investigation but so far she has not heard anything from Mr. Palma or his whereabouts.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir, when was he expected back home?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“I know that he went to Hopkins and there he met another friend that he was going to work with and there he went to the island that everybody is calling that he was last seen Bread & Butter and that was the last time, according to the wife, that she heard from him. All we know is that they said that was some misunderstanding on the island and that he had paddled from the island to Hopkins and that was the last time someone saw or heard from him.”

Andrea Polanco

“Any search ongoing in that area for him?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“Yes, the police have received information of a body floating in that area so police have been engaged in a search from yesterday and this morning.”

Andrea Polanco

“His dorey or his canoe hasn’t been found?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“Nothing as yet.”

Andrea Polanco

“And his friend is he being questioned any at all?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“Yes, he is in police custody at this time in Hopkins Village.”

Andrea Polanco

“So, is it that you suspect foul play in this case?”

Supt. Alejandro Cowo

“Not necessarily but we are trying to find out from him what exactly transpired at the island or if there is any truth to the dispute that everybody is mentioning about.”