BELIZE-Police say a Canadian national may have died as a result of an accident.

BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Police say an autopsy on the body of 72-year-old Canadian sailor, Thomas David Harman, recovered from a drifting catamaran more than sixty miles offshore last Wednesday, may have died as a result of an accident.

“The body of Mr. Harman underwent an autopsy examination, where, at the conclusion, the finding was that he died as a consequence of multiple blunt force traumatic injuries due to a fall from height. No foul play is suspected then,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Stacy Smith.

“As stated, the pathologist concludes that he fell from a height, and the circumstances are such that he was on board a boat. I don’t know if it is that the assumption would be somebody would’ve been up on the sail with him, because that is the suggestion that has been given.

“However, as I would’ve indicated on the last occasion, this is not a matter that falls within Belize’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, we have done our due diligence, due diligence in terms of securing and processing the scene and obtaining relevant evidential material.

“Should the persons who have jurisdiction, which would be the flagship or the country for which Mr. Harman is a national, be able to competently provide them with that information for them to carry further investigation if they believe that foul play is involved,” Smith added.

Last Wednesday, the police announced their investigations into the mysterious death of the elderly Canadian man after members of Belize’s Rescue Team had found the man’s body and signs of blood when they boarded the abandoned catamaran, raising questions about what happened during the couple’s voyage.

Smith said last week that the Belize rescue team advised the police that they were escorting a Catamaran, namely Melinda, that was found drifting 60 miles off course from Belize.

She said after boarding the vessel, they discovered the body of Horman of British Columbia, Canada.

ASP Smith said that the local authorities have been able to identify the woman who was on board with the man and “what I can say is that she is reported to have been rescued by a cruise ship that was in the area, and her identity has been known, and she would’ve communicated with a relative of the deceased, Mr. Harmon, about the incident”.