Police in Grenada have tragically announced that they believe a U.S. couple, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, aboard their catamaran "Simplicity," were killed and thrown into the Caribbean Sea. The couple were hijacked by three escaped prisoners last week, who had fled from the South Saint George Police Station on February 18. The prisoners took control of the catamaran on Monday and headed towards St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where they were apprehended by authorities on Wednesday.

Don McKenzie, the police commissioner of the Royal Grenada Police Force, shared at a press conference that information suggests the prisoners disposed of the couple while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent. The investigation is still ongoing, and authorities are working with limited information at this time. The St. Vincent police were not immediately available for comment.

The nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association described Hendry and Brandel as "veteran cruisers" and valued members of the association. The couple participated in last year's Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua and were enjoying the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean at the time of the tragic incident.

The families of Hendry and Brandel have not yet issued a statement in response to this devastating news. The community is mourning the loss of the couple and hoping for more information to come to light as the investigation continues.