US vacationers claim British Virgin Islands holding them hostage for breaching Covid rules

The group claims they are being forced to stay in a hotel room infested with bugs

A group of Americans claims they are being held like "hostages" in the British Virgin Islands after they violated the territory's coronavirus rules.  

The group of four accidentally sailed into BVI waters. The BVI government has prohibited visits from the US due to Covid-19. The Americans are being detained in single hotel room. Under the BVI's current rules, anyone entering the country must undergo a mandatory 14 day quarantine.  

Lynn Hines, of Manning, South Carolina, said she, her husband and their two friends sailed a mile and a half into BVI waters before realising their mistake and turning their ship around.  

She claims by the time they turned to leave, a BVI customs boat had already been dispatched to intercept them.  

The customs agents charged them with attempting to enter the country illegally and detained them.  

"We have been informed because we were on the boat we were also in territorial waters and also being detained," John Hines, Ms Hines’ husband, said.  

She said the group was then told they would be fined.  

“This is where they took our passports and all the boat’s documentation and then stated that you are being charged with trying to enter the country illegally, not coming to a port of entry and they carry two $10,000 fines,” Ms Hines told Virgninia-based broadcaster ABC 7 WJLA.  

Mr Hines said the ship's captain attempted to pay the $20,000 fines, but only had credit cards, and the customs officials allegedly had asked for cash.  

The Americans have complained that their hotel room is infested with bugs and that their sink is broken, according to North Carolina broadcaster WSOC-TV.  

The BVI government released a statement on 29 November regarding the incident.  

"All four persons are safe and are being cared for with BVILOVE and with the finances of the Government and people of the Virgin Islands ... The public is being reminded that the Territory reserves the right to apprehend and prosecute any person regardless of nationality, race, gender etc., who violates the laws of the British Virgin Islands," the statement said. "The allegations being circulated by the press and persons are without merit and can easily attract civil and criminal liability."

They are waiting to appear in court, where they hope they will be granted the freedom to leave the islands.  

Ms Hines said that the country's immigration officials, not their customs officials, were handling the case.  

The US State Department said it was aware of the situation and that it was providing assistance to the Americans.  

“We take seriously our responsibility to assist U.S. citizens abroad, and are providing all appropriate consular services,” the agency told WSOC in a statement. “We remain in communication with the detained U.S citizens.”

The group left on 15 November from St Thomas to sail to St. John when they entered BVI waters.