UPDATE: Body fished out of French waters identified as Dominican

A photo of the tattoo on the body
The body was identified by the tattoo

A decomposing body, which was fished out of the sea near Les Saintes, has been identified as a Dominican.

Police PRO, ASP Claude Weekes, said the body is  that of 66-year-old Walfgan Severin, of Colihaut.

He was identified by the tattoo, which the police made public earlier on Wednesday, by his brother Francis Severin.

On Wednesday afternoon the police reported  that French authorities had alerted them of the body.

In light of the passage of Tropical Storm Erika and reports of several missing people on the island, the police had said they believed it was a Dominican and appealed for assistance in identifying it.

The identification was made later Wednesday afternoon.

Severin, who was speaking during an interview on DBS Radio on Wednesday evening, said he last saw his brother on the morning of Wednesday, August 26.

And according to him, the deceased was expected to report to work the following morning but he was never seen.

“So when I went to work the Friday morning I went up there and searched but didn’t find him so I went back down…I went back the afternoon, no signs of him again,” he explained. “I went the Saturday morning, no signs of him, that is when I reported it to the police that he was missing.”

Severin said he felt relieved knowing that his brother was found and he could identify him by the tattoo on his right forearm.

“I thought that I would never find him again …. but seeing that photograph tells us that is his body,” he said.

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38 Comments

  1. The Real Facts
    September 10, 2015

    I have been planning on looking into this as I am curious to know if the deceased is Dr. Francis Severin’s brother who is the son of the late Webster Severin and Jean White-Severin. He has relatives in Ontario and I had planned to call one of them tonight. I got home, feeling tired and thought I will call tomorrow evening.
    I know a few of his brothers. I was not aware of this one with the name, “Walgan” which is a strange name. I would like to telephone Francis and also one of his brothers in Ontario to express my condolence but I want to be certain. I also asked myself how many Francis Severin’s are there in Dominica.
    The Francis I know was appointed to a high position. I did speak to him when his mother passed away a few years ago. One of his in-laws who is my in-law resides in another island. Well, I will have to make a few telephone calls to ascertain if the deceased is the brother of Dr. Francis Severin.
    Nevertheless, may the soul of the deceased RIP.

  2. SMh
    September 10, 2015

    Is this the person’s arm?
    or a piece of wood?
    RIP

  3. Verone Blanc
    September 10, 2015

    Well Shaka Zulu amazing how we all become experts.

  4. forreal
    September 10, 2015

    RIP walfgan,had not seen this brother for years,it’s a sad feeling,good friend of my older brother,it’s like real close to home

  5. FS Local
    September 10, 2015

    Is the tattoo uniquely belonging to your brother, Mr. Severin? I mean a lot of people could have the same tattoo. Though, I agree the odds of having two, three people bearing the same tattoo missing at the same time might be far-fatch, but not impossible, seeing reports have confirmed that many people are still unaccounted for. I am not saying all this to discredit your brother’s identification, but as someone who have studied Forensics Science, I think the country should move to more positive means of identifying decaying corpes such as by dental records, which the authorities much start to develop a data base for. Look after severals weeks of the discovery of charred bodies in Mahaut heights, no confirmation yet about the identity of the people found….if the country had developed a data base of dental records, this
    issue may have already been put to rest. We are not too small an island to be piorneers in the Caribbean; we have already proven this to the telecommunication world.

    • really?
      September 10, 2015

      Shush! Urgh

  6. FS Local
    September 10, 2015

    Is the tattoo uniquely belongs to your brother, Mr. Severin? I mean a lot of people could have the same tattoo. Though, I agree the odds of having two, three people bearing the same tattoo missing at the same time might be far-fatch, but not impossible, seeing reports have confirmed that many people are still unaccounted for. I am not saying all this to discredit your brother’s identification, but as someone who have studied Forensics Science, I think the country should move to more positive means of identifying decaying corpes such as by dental records, which the authorities much start to develop a data base for. Look after severals weeks of the discovery of charred bodies in Mahaut heights, no confirmation yet about the identity of the people found….if the country had developed a data base of dental records, this
    issue may have already been put to rest. We are not too small an island to be piorneers in the Caribbean; we have already proven this to the telecommunication world.

    • girly girly
      September 10, 2015

      Man shut up eh…just trying to add to the Government’s stress now??

      What can they do for him now? All they can do is give the man a respectful burial now.

      When the country come back on its feet you can get on your high horse about ‘dental records’….smh…I swear some of you people behave like is Dominica alone that behind time in terms of technology…chah man!

      • FS Local
        September 11, 2015

        FS Local
        Your asinine rebuttal doesnt worth a response; go back and reread the post. Should we in Dominica continue to perpetuate reactive reasoning?

    • Dominican
      September 10, 2015

      You studied forensics I do hope you reach masters level? Well sir when people have degrees they are supposed to use it for something so here is a project for you, use your degree to implement such good works as forensics in Dominica, yes, help us to get there in technology we have enough lip service we can use that right now. You can start the database etc etc you be the pioneer you want to see.

      • FS Local
        September 11, 2015

        I tried; yet when your government continue to put party before human resource; and victimizes people who don’t sing its song; perhaps then, we will move forward in our development and citizens talents will be fully utilized. Sadly, due to the negative feedback I got here, I had to run back to green pastures, where i am every day to better my adopted homeland Forensics mechanisms.

  7. Just Me
    September 9, 2015

    May his soul rest in peace. :(

  8. mine
    September 9, 2015

    Very sad his family know now he is not alive. May he RIP. MY sympathy to the family.

  9. Just Saying
    September 9, 2015

    Francis severin is his brother from Colihaut NOT Francis Severin, the Principal of Open Campus sites of the University of the West Indies.

  10. September 9, 2015

    I pray that your departed soul rest in peace. It’s such a sad way to go but God is the one that gives life and he takes it away in whatever shape or form. MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE SEVERIN !!!

    I want to pray for all my fellow Dominicans. Take courage now you are in the darkest hour but joy cometh in the morning.
    Look out for each other. I hope my family and friends in Dublanc, Bioche, Colihaut, Roseau and other parts of Dominica are OK. God is in control, he promise that he will never leave you or forsake you .May he continue to bless and watch over you

  11. Helas!
    September 9, 2015

    Well Shaka Zulu I guess you are wrong.

    • TK THOMAS
      September 9, 2015

      what is the person name sad day for d/ca

    • Shaka zulu
      September 10, 2015

      Guess I was. I stand corrected.

  12. Danziger
    September 9, 2015

    when I heard the news on RCI radio I said its a Dominican, cuz the Mayor told the owner of the Funeral Home prepare more coffin because there might be more dead bodies. Lord give his family the strength that they need.

  13. The Real Facts
    September 9, 2015

    The rush of the water takes whatever and whoever is in its path. It is not doubtful that the body would end up there. The current is in control.
    Consider a few years ago in Dominica, a visitor who was trying to save his daughter while bathing in the sea, I believe at Rosalie, got drowned. His body was found in the sea at Canefield.
    Why should anyone deny that this body would not end up in the water at Les Saintes, Guadeloupe and is not the person described?

  14. In God we trust
    September 9, 2015

    So you mean neither Venezuela, nor China or CARICOM can help us with a simple forensic DNA collection so the person could be correctly identified? Bring the Americans here, they sure can help. Boy women whose husbands a missing since the storm should rush and claim the body, whether it is his or not, as that of their husband so they could legally be considered a widow, which would make it possible for them to get certain loans cancelled, life insurance if applicable and other benefits. USA! USA! USA! USA!

    • Dominican
      September 10, 2015

      Well there is no loan and insurance bla bla bal lol sot

      • Dominican
        September 10, 2015

        Don’t you think if there is any insurance or loan story the authorities would ask for DNA or something more conculsive? Stupes google make everybody an expert

  15. September 9, 2015

    Rest in peace my dear friend. I’m glad the book is closed. My deepest condolences to you family and the people of Colihaut. When one part of the body hurts, the whole body hurts.

  16. nazo
    September 9, 2015

    This is so so sad.I was hoping that it wasn’t true but this tattoo was on the arm of the missing person from Colihaut

  17. emeelio
    September 9, 2015

    On d Saturday after d storm DAT same body was seen off d coast of Clifton capucine

  18. denis
    September 9, 2015

    That descriptive appears to be the man that’s missing from colihaut.

  19. gwaj
    September 9, 2015

    OMG! :(

  20. Shaka zulu
    September 9, 2015

    Ocean currents between Dominica and Guadeloupe flows mostly east to west especially during hurricane season. I doubt anyone taken out to sea from Dominica would end up on Les saint. Currents get stronger btw the narrow passage. Venturi effect. DNA analysis try match to any family who lost someone.

    • Twissted
      September 9, 2015

      :?: Thanks for your expert analysis….but i would not go too strongly by it. Vessels leaving Saints travelling to Portsmouth just after the storm had to be dodging whole trees and branches that were knocking some serious knots heading towards the same French islands and Gwada. The North bound current was Strong that day. :-D

    • nazo
      September 9, 2015

      This is d body of the missing person from Colihaut.

    • Sweedy767
      September 9, 2015

      Was it DNO who did the analysis??? You wanna play smart but u sound very foolish…

    • pokopoko
      September 9, 2015

      Did u not read that the guys brother identify him by the distinctive tattoo on his arm?

    • Confused Reader
      September 9, 2015

      Current will still move in a general north-west fashion

    • toneh
      September 9, 2015

      Retarded a tattoo identified the man.. in my opinion a tattoo is as good as dna. I mean what are the chances of 2 or more missing ppl having the same tattoo?

    • Dominican
      September 10, 2015

      Stupes noticing you want, not everything demands a DNA test. Better yet you go test it yourself stupesssssssssssss

    • who vex vex
      September 10, 2015

      Venturi effect my ars.
      Some ppl just like to sound smart

  21. cece
    September 9, 2015

    Sad

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