By: Staff Writer
November 11, 2025
The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) in their 2024 annual report said that reported crimes against sailors rose 41% year-over-year—hitting a record 145 cases.
The report also said: “The surge was driven almost entirely by non-violent offenses, which rose 57 percent (137 vs. 87). Violent incidents, by contrast, fell 50 percent to 8, their first decline in recent years.
“A steady climb through most of the year, capped by a record spike in December, produced the new annual total. The CSSN Annual Report 2024 analyses those trends and highlights an encouraging turn away from the violence of prior years, while pinpointing both familiar and emerging hotspots.”
Incident reports also demonstrated some seasonal patterns, with December experiencing a dramatic surge to 31 reports—a historic high. April showed a secondary peak of 20 incidents, while the traditional hurricane-season months of August and September saw significantly reduced activity.
CSSN’s primary mission is the collection and dissemination of accurate information about crimes against yachts in the Caribbean. Their reports and news items are meant to provide factual input to improve awareness and stimulate independent thinking, leading to better preparedness, for captains and their crews.
The report also said: “The Leeward Islands were notably active in 2024. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) emerged as the single most active country, with 20 reported incidents—half of them at the small but popular island of Jost Van Dyke. Historically, the BVI have seen few or no incidents, but a mix of charter boats and complacent cruising yachts presented many easy targets for well-prepared thieves.
“Tracking devices, when present, were frequently found and then routinely disabled. Saint Martin/Sint Maarten was also very active, with 12 and 13 reports, respectively—representing year-over-year increases of 110 percent and 300 percent compared to 2023. Most of the activity occurred in the shared Simpson Bay Lagoon, which accounted for 20 total reports.
It continued: “In Central America, activity rose modestly compared to 2023. Panama recorded 11 incidents. Honduras had 9 reports, divided between offshore piracy-related suspicious activity and thefts in Roatan. Guatemala’s Río Dulce contributed 6 reports to regional totals.
“The Windward Islands together accounted for 50 reported incidents, roughly 30 percent of all regional activity. Grenada led the group with 17 reports—a 150 percent year-over-year increase—distributed across many anchorages, and included a violent report that claimed the lives of two cruisers. Martinique had 13 incidents, a 110 percent increase, concentrated in its most popular anchorages. St. Lucia followed with 11 reports, mainly from Rodney Bay, representing a 140 percent increase.
“In contrast, St. Vincent and the Grenadines reported 7 incidents, a 36 percent decrease, likely reflecting reduced yacht traffic following Hurricane Beryl’s impact on several key islands and ongoing recovery challenges in this multi-island country.”