by TIM SLINGER

A 29-YEAR-OLD Senegalese man has been positively identified as one of the 11 bodies discovered on a small yacht off Barbados four months ago.

The identity of Diao Souncar Dieme followed forensic investigations, including
DNA conducted by specialist Interpol teams locally and in the West African nation, from
which it is believed most of the deceased originated.

A senior police source also confirmed there were no other identifications and a report had been submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following weeks of intense investigations.

Dieme's brother, Ibrahima Dieme, had sent authorities a picture of his brother after news broke that the boat which left Cape Verde Islands last Christmas Eve Day (December 24) with over 52 passengers had been discovered off Barbados.

In an interview with the DAILY NATION by telephone, Dieme had confirmed that his brother had paid a "bandit" 1 300 euros (BDS$3 306) for a dream trip to Europe.

Meanwhile, in another few days a decision concerning the burial of the 11 bodies will be known.

Senagal Ambassador to New York, Monkhtar Kouyate, said yesterday he was expecting word "from his government in Senegal" about whether the bodies would remain in Barbados for burial or be shipped home for the last rites.

A senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that correspondence had been sent to the Senegalese government concerning expenses associated with local burial and alternatively costs of shipping the bodies.

The bodies which were previously kept at a funeral home, are now being held at the Forensic Sciences Centre in Culloden Road, St Michael.

Investigations had revealed the men perished at sea from starvation and dehydration after leaving the Cape Verde Islands.

The local Muslim community has offered to bury the dead.