Government says missing fishermen case followed procedure

Government has reaffirmed that the February 2026 disappearance of fishermen at sea has been handled responsibly, following intense questioning of Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre during the closing press conference of the 51st CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting on Wednesday.

It said on Thursday that the matter has been managed in accordance with established procedures and with consideration for the affected families.

The statement came a day after an exchange between Pierre and Al Jazeera senior correspondent Josh Rushing, who questioned the prime minister about the disappearance of Saint Lucian fisherman Ricky Joseph and another missing man.

Rushing said he had spent the week in Saint Lucia investigating the case, and that the network’s investigation concluded that “all evidence points” to the men having been killed in a United States boat strike on February 13, 2026.

He described the alleged deaths as “extrajudicial killings” and said experts had characterised them as murder. Rushing asked Pierre what justice should look like for the families if the allegations were proven true, and whether the United States had “immunity” to kill citizens in Caribbean territories.

Those claims have not been independently confirmed by Saint Lucian authorities. Because no bodies have been recovered, police continue to treat the matter as a missing persons investigation.

In its statement, the government said that in matters involving missing persons, next of kin are the persons recognised under the law for official communication and engagement.

The government added that the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has been in contact with relevant authorities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as it seeks to obtain and verify information surrounding the case.

“To date, there has been no confirmation of the recovery of any bodies connected to the missing individuals,” the statement said.

The government said Pierre remains concerned about the welfare of the affected families and recognises the distress and uncertainty they continue to experience.

It said authorities will continue to engage with next of kin, liaise with relevant agencies and ensure that verified facts guide public statements on the matter.

While responding to Rushing’s questions on Wednesday, Pierre said, “We are very concerned about the loss of life for anybody. We’ve requested information from the United States, and we’ve not gotten any information as to what happened.”

He said authorities were continuing their efforts to determine what had happened.

“Our own law enforcement is trying its best to decipher what happened,” he said.

The exchange became more pointed when Rushing questioned whether Pierre had met with the families. Pierre rejected any suggestion that his administration was indifferent to their concerns.

“These families are our people. They are my people. I’m very concerned about them. I’m sure more than you. They are my people,” the prime minister insisted.

The article Government says missing fishermen case followed procedure is from St. Lucia Times.