Curacao court acquits suspect in shipwreck that killed 15 Venezuelan migrants

A court in Curacao has acquitted a man identified as Javier P., also known as "Beertje," of charges connected to a tragic shipwreck in March 2025 that claimed the lives of 15 Venezuelan migrants. The judges determined that the prosecution failed to present enough evidence to establish his role in organizing the perilous journey. While the prosecution had sought a six-year prison sentence, arguing he was part of a human trafficking network, the court ultimately found insufficient grounds for conviction on charges of human trafficking resulting in death or belonging to a criminal organization.

The court did, however, establish that Javier P. was aware of a vessel's planned arrival in Curacao, based on phone information. Nevertheless, since the boat never reached Curacaoan territory and the disaster occurred in international waters, the judges concluded there were not enough elements to convict him. This acquittal contrasts with his conviction on separate charges of drug trafficking and cannabis cultivation.

Javier P. received an 18-month prison sentence, partially suspended, for organizing the shipment of cocaine to Brussels hidden within a person's body and for cultivating cannabis. Authorities discovered a cannabis plantation with 117 plants on his property. His partner also received a prison sentence for her involvement in the cannabis cultivation.

The shipwreck itself involved two boats departing from Venezuela with approximately 65 migrants bound for Curacao. After losing contact, a search operation by the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard located one vessel overturned off the coast. Ten people were rescued alive, but one died later in the hospital. The confirmed deaths eventually reached 14, making it one of the most severe tragedies recorded on this migrant route.