The American Samoa’s authority has seized a yacht that resembles the one used by the US murder suspect who escaped from a Tongan prison last week.
Dean Jay Fletcher, 54, was facing charges in Tonga in connection with the death of his Canadian wife in the kingdom’s Vava’u islands in June.
He was remanded in Police custody before he vanished into the Pacific ocean.
Radio New Zealand has reported this afternoon the yacht Sea Oak sailed into American Samoa’s Pago Pago Harbour this morning with a man on board believed by local media to be fugitive murder suspect Dean Jay Fletcher.
“RNZI’s correspondent in Pago Pago said the yacht arrived in Pago Pago to refuel but was not able to dock straight away at the refuelling station.
“It began to sail away and got as far as the island of Aunu’u before the marine patrol unit escorted the yacht back into port late this morning.
“The authorities were then alerted and the Sea Oak has since been kept at the marine patrol docking area.
“A marine patrol officer said a team of police investigators had been to check out the yacht but it was understood they could not search the boat until a warrant was obtained.
“It was not clear if there had been any contact between the local Department of Public Safety and the Tongan authorities.
“There is no extradition treaty between American Samoa and Tonga.
“KHJ News reported the man did not seem concerned and was having a nap on his yacht”.
