Engineer Pawel Kwiatowski of M/Y Charisma has been missing in the BVIs since Saturday, January 30.
According to BVInews.com, which received its information from a Police Information Office press release issued February 1, Kwiatowski was last seen leaving the Willy T Restaurant & Bar via tender around 11:30 p.m. on Friday night. He was reported missing on Saturday morning.
According to BVInews.com, the search for the missing crewmember, which began on Saturday, January 30, went from search and rescue to a recovery mission on Wednesday, February 3.
BVInews.com reported, “This disclosure was made by the head of the Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) Phil Aspinall: ‘We will continue to dive today in the area that he went missing, but at this point in time we are just looking for recovery. My opinion is based solely on the intense searches we have done over the past few days on land and in the water,’ Aspinall explained.”
M/Y Charisma was anchored off Norman Island during the time of the incident.
BVInews.com reported, “VISAR along with the Police Marine Unit and a Blue Water Dive team have been looking tirelessly for the 32 year-old engineer in the Bight area [where Kwiatowski was last seen].”
Watch this space for more information.
http://www.bvinews.com/all_news/accident-tragedy/9412.html
http://www.bvinews.com/all_news/crime-police/9378.html
UPDATE:
Official press release sent by the BVIs Police Information Office:
BODY RECOVERED BELIEVED TO BE THAT OF MISSING CREW MEMBER
Tuesday, February 9 – A body recovered off St. John Sunday afternoon is believed to be that of missing crew member Pawel Kwiatkowski.
DNA analysis, which is now being expedited, will be needed to make a positive identification. However, based on prevailing facts, it is probable that the body found is that of the missing crew member.
Following the discovery, officers of the Special Investigations Unit of the Royal Virgin Islands Police and Virgin Islands Police Department worked closely with a medical examiner in the USVI.
An autopsy was performed and the determination of the cause of death is to be released shortly.
Pawel Kwiatkowski, a 32-year-old, of Poland and an engineer onboard the 154-foot mega yacht Charisma which was anchored off Norman Island, was last seen leaving the Willy Ts Bar and Restaurant at around 11:30pm on Friday night, January 29 on a yacht tender. Kwiatkowski was discovered missing by his crew members the following morning.
At the request of BVI authorities, U.S. Coast Guard carried out aerial searches of the surrounding area while Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) and Police carried out extensive sea and shoreline searches. In addition, Police Marine Unit and a contracted dive company engaged in underwater searches.
Last Friday, Police called off search teams after a thorough six-day multi-agency land, air and sea search which started in the immediate area and extended to other islands as far as St. John.
The investigation by the RVIPF Special Investigations Unit is focused on the movements of Kwiatkowski and other crew members after they left the bar on that Friday evening. The accounts of the crew are now being analyzed to establish what happened but there is no evidence that indicate there was fighting between any members of the crew.
The captain and members of the crew of the Charisma as well as the parent company, YPI yachts, have been cooperating with Police investigators.
A file on the investigation has been provided to Her Majesty‘s Coroner and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
UPDATE:
Official press release sent by the BVIs Police Information Office:
BODY IDENTIFIED AS MISSING CREW MEMBER
CAUSED OF DEATH RELEASED
Monday, February 15 – A body recovered off St. John Sunday afternoon has been positively identified as missing crew member Pawel Kwiatkowski. An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was drowning.
A DNA analysis was conducted to make the positive determination of the identity and medical examiners in the USVI made the determination of the cause of the death. Officers of the Special Investigations Unit of the Royal Virgin Islands Police and Virgin Islands Police Department had worked closely with a medical examiner in the USVI after the discovery was made.
Pawel Kwiatkowski, a 32-year-old, of Poland and an engineer onboard the 154-foot mega yacht ‘Charisma’ which was anchored off Norman Island, was last seen leaving the Willy Ts Bar and Restaurant at around 11:30pm on Friday night, January 29 on a yacht tender. Kwiatkowski was discovered missing by his crew members the following morning.
A file on the investigation has been provided to Her Majesty‘s Coroner and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution and Police await their decision.
Until Police receive a decision from the DPP and the Coroner, the case remains open.