Authorities in the eastern Caribbean are in search of two U.S. citizens believed to have been aboard a yacht that was seized by three escapees from Grenada. The Royal Grenada Police Force announced on Friday that they are working on leads that suggest the occupants of the yacht, known to be Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, might have been met with foul play.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association confirmed that the seasoned cruisers, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were owners of the yacht named Simplicity, which was discovered abandoned off a beach on the island of St. Vincent. Evidence of possible violence was found onboard by a cruising skipper who reported the incident to the association.

Ralph Hendry's family expressed their gratitude to the authorities, coast guards, and all those who have assisted in the investigation. They urged against independent search efforts to prevent any potential endangerment.

In a tragic turn of events, the escaped prisoners, aged 19, 25, and 30, who were charged with violent crimes in Grenada, hijacked the yacht at St. George's, Grenada's capital. After their capture on St. Vincent Island, a forensic specialist and senior investigators were dispatched from Grenada to assist in the case.

The family members of the missing U.S. citizens met with authorities on Saturday at the hijacked yacht, which was under guard for investigation. The priority now is to locate the whereabouts of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel and comprehend the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and potential harm.