ST. THOMAS — The V.I. Police. Department is investigating what appears to be a drowning incident that occurred earlier this month in Hull Bay, though the department said it would await an autopsy before making a final determination.
According to police spokesman Toby Derima, on October 17, at 9:19 p.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center received a report from a concerned citizen regarding a male going for a swim in Hull Bay and not returning to shore. Police officers' search of the Hull Bay area was unsuccessful.
On October 18, at 6:33 a.m. police officers, St. Thomas Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard resumed their search for the missing swimmer, and at 9:17 a.m. the same day local divers in the waters off Hull Bay recovered the body of a man identified as 40-year-old Benjamin Rabbaini, according to Mr. Derima.
Pending an autopsy, the cause of death is unknown at this time, said the V.I.P.D.
Detectives are asking anyone who may have seen Rabbani swimming on October 17, or who may have seen what happened to him, to call 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211, or Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477 or online at crimestoppersusvi.org.
Advertisements
