Four Americans claim they are being held like “hostages” in a British Virgin Islands hotel room after they coincidentally sailed into the territory’s waters — breaking rules that prohibit US visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as per a report.
Lynn Hines, of Manning, South Carolina, said she, her husband and two friends just understood their mistake after their boat had just traveled a mile and a half into the illegal oceans Nov. 19 on their way to St. John, news station WJLA reported.
The boat turned to head back, yet it was past the point of no return and they were met by customs agents.
“This is the place where they took our passports and all the boat’s documentation and then stated that you are being accused of attempting to enter the nation illicitly, not going to a port of passage and they carry two $10,000 fines,” Hines told the outlet.
Since then, they’ve been detained in a single hotel room, which they say is overrun with bugs and has a broken sink, news station WSOC reported.
“We are hostages being held for ransom and not being charged. The only one charged is the boat owner,” Lynn Hines’ husband John told WJLA.
“We have been informed because we were on the boat we were also in territorial waters and also being detained.”
He claimed that the captain has tried to pay the $20,000 fine, but he only has credit cards and the customs officials want cash.
On Monday, the group said they’re still waiting to appear in court and hopefully secure their release.
“We were told that customs was not handling the case, that immigration was handling the case,” Lynn told WSOC.
“Then, it was immigration’s not handling the case, now the prosecutor’s handling the case.”
The US State Department said it is aware of the matter and is providing assistance to the foursome.
“We take seriously our responsibility to assist U.S. citizens abroad, and are providing all appropriate consular services,” the agency said in a statement to WSOC. “We remain in communication with the detained U.S citizens.”
