The Public Prosecutor is prosecuting three soldiers for their involvement in a fatal diving accident on Curacao in 2015, in which a 23-year-old woman was killed. They are accused of violating service regulations and thereby creating a "life-threatening situation", the Prosecutor announced on Monday.
The soldiers facing prosecution are two men, aged 44 and 51 years, and a 49-year-old woman. They are all members of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Someone stole a large amount of cocaine from a police lockup in Curacao. The drugs had previously been confiscated by the police. The theft from the police terrain was discovered on Sunday morning at around 9:00 a.m., NOS reports.
The perpetrators forced two large metal doors to get to the drugs. Exactly how much cocaine was stolen, the Public Prosecutor on Curacao would not to say to NOS.
Later on Sunday a burning truck was found on the island. The police believe it may have been used in the robbery.
The government of Curacao is denying fleeing Venezuelans their international right to asylum, according to a report Amnesty International published on Monday. The human rights organization calls on the Netherlands to intervene, ANP reports.
The government of Curacao released a statement distancing itself from statements Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs made about multicultural societies. The island's government "deeply regrets" the statements, because as foreign minister Blok also speaks on behalf of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The Surinamese government would like Blok to apologize for his statements.
A legislative proposal by PVV parliamentarians Sietse Fritsma and Machiel de Graaf to send criminal Antilleans back to Aruba, Curacao or Sint Maarten got no support from other parties in parliament. "This is not possible and we should also not want this", CDA parliamentarian Madeleine van Toorenburg said in a debate in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, NOS reports.
Navy corporal Iris Homan from Hengelo was found dead in a swimming pool on the island of Curacao on May 21st. Her husband Bart D., also a corporal in the Dutch navy, was arrested. D. is not suspected off murder or manslaughter, "but of a certain negligence that led to her death", a spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor on the island said to De Stentor.
Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are dealing with many asylum seekers from Venezuela due to a humanitarian and political crisis in the country. The three islands, which form part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, are getting too little support from the Netherlands in sheltering these asylum seekers, Aruban Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes said to NRC.
She called the Netherlands' attitude "too indifferent and irritating". Aruba is located less than 40 kilometers fro the Venezuelan coast. Around 5 thousand Venezuelans have already fled to the island.
A crew member of TUIfly was arrested at Schiphol Airport on Saturday on suspicion of drug trafficking from Curacao. The Koninklijke Marechaussee confirmed that someone was arrested, but would give no further details, the Telegraaf reports.
The Koninklijke Marechaussee is a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border control and airport security. "The investigation is ongoing", is all that a spokesperson would say to the Telegraaf.
Four dead bodies were found on the north-east shore of Curaçao on Wednesday. The coast guard identified the bodies as two men and two women from Venezuela who tried to emmigrate without permission and reach Curaçao by boat. A family relative of the victims told the news agency Reuters that the boat they were traveling on was carrying too many people, and a big wave broke the boat in two.
The population of Curaçao was forced to begin stockpiling food since neighboring country Venezuela announced a trade boycott with the Dutch Caribbean island on Friday. The trade ban also covered Aruba and Bonaire, all three of which rely heavily on the South American country's fruits and vegetables.
The European Union published its black list of tax havens. It consists of 17 countries the EU believes help multinationals and rich people avoid the tax authorities. The Netherlands does not appear on the list - no EU countries do. But Aruba and Curacao, which form part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, were placed on a "gray list" - they have two years to implement promised improvements, or they'll be blacklisted, the Volkskrant reports.
Dutch navy ship Zr. MS. Zeeland intercepted a drug transport of 600 kilograms of cocaine on the Caribbean ocean on Sunday evening. To stop the traffickers, the ship's helicopter had to shoot out the outside motor of the speedboat the smugglers were using, ANP reports.
Three people were arrested. They've been transferred to the authorities on Curacao.
Saba and Sint Eustatius are anxiously awaiting Hurricane Maria, which is set to pass close by the islands in the course of the morning or early in the afternoon. Hurricane Maria increased in strength and is now considered a category 5 hurricane, the strongest category, with wind speeds up to 260 kilometers per hour, BNR reports.
King Willem-Alexander will visit Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba on Monday to see the aftermath of Hurricane Irma with his own eyes, Minister Ronald Plasterk of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations said on Curacao on Sunday afternoon, ANP reports.
Four people were killed and six others were injured in a shooting in Willemstad on Curacao on Monday night. The injured people were rushed to the hospital. The gunmen are still at large, AD reports.
According to broadcaster NOS, the shooting happened at a birthday party for two brothers in te Buena Vista neighborhood. Unknown gunmen drove up in a car and opened fire on a home with automatic weapons. The area is known for gang violence. Newspaper AD reports that the shooting happened at a bar annex small supermarket.
The court on Curacao sentenced pastor Orlando B. to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting three teenage girls and four young women. The court also banned him from working as pastor for 14 years, NOS reports.
The Public Prosecutor demanded 18 years in prison and a professional ban of 20 years against the man. He was charged with sexually assaulting a total of 10 women and girls. In three cases he was acquitted.
A 54-year-old pastor from the Rains of Blessing church on Curacao is standing trial for raping 10 girls. His youngest victim was 11 years old. On Wednesday the Public Prosecutor demanded 18 years in prison against him, and that he be banned from leading any church for 20 years, NOS reports.
The Curacao court convicted Burney F. and sentenced him to 25 years in prison for ordering the assassination of politician Helmin Wiels. The court considers it proven that F. gave the gunman the order to kill Wiels, NOS reports.
F. is currently imprisoned in the Netherlands for drug trafficking and money laundering. He 'attended' his trial on Curacao via a video stream. The court convicted F. based largely on statements by gunman Elvis K., who is currently serving life in prison in the Netherlands for his role in the assassination.
A large piece of coral near the island of Curacao was severely damaged. The perpetrator is believed to be construction company BAM, who is currently building a pier for cruise ships and other large vessels on the island, NOS reports.
Passengers on a KLM flight from Curacao to the Netherlands today will not be able to cast their vote in the parliamentary election. Their flight to the Netherlands was canceled, and the next flight only departs tomorrow, NOS reports.
A spokesperson for the Electoral Council told NOS that one of the passengers called them to find out if anything can be done. "It's very unfortunate, but we can't do a thing. At 9:00 p.m. tonight the polling stations close and those inside the polling stations can still cast their vote, but those who are too late can't."
The government of Curacao collapsed on Sunday, Prime Minister on the island Hensley Koeiman confirmed. The government was in office for just over seven weeks, AD reports.
A Dutch police team aimed at fighting corruption in the Caribbean part of the Netherands, is gaining steam. On Monday the team raided a number of properties on Sint Maarten and arrested a 35 year old man. He is suspected of money laundering, forgery and tax evasion, the Volkskrant reports.
So far Curacao will hold parliamentary elections on Friday, despite the fact that tropical storm Matthew is set to pass by the north of the island on Thursday night, Prime Minister Ben Whiteman said on Wednesday
Elmer Wilsoe, former Minister of Justice on Curacao and currently a parliamentarian, denies any involvement in the murder of his party leader Helmin Wiels. Wiels was murdered more than three years ago on a beach in Willemstad
