Alan Culverwell, his wife Derryn and their two children were attacked by pirates in Panama. Photo / Facebook
Alan Culverwell, his wife Derryn and their two children were attacked by pirates in Panama. Photo / Facebook
The wife and young children of a Kiwi man shot dead by Panama pirates will likely be stuck in the Central American country for another week as investigators piece together the crime.
Alan Culverwell, 60, died last week after being shot at close range with a shot gun after pirates boarded his family's boat, the Aqua Lobo, under the cover of darkness.
His wife, Derryn Culverwell, suffered a machete blow to her shoulder, before battling to lock herself and their twin children in the boat's cabin where she made an emergency call to New Zealand to raise the alarm.
The couple's daughter, 11, was also hurt in the attack, while their son was on board but uninjured.
Alan Culverwell died in Panama while protecting his wife and young children. Photo / Facebook
Leandro Herrera and Avelino Arosemena yesterday appeared in court over the attack, Reuters reported. They are charged with aggravated homicide, robbery, criminal association and mistreatment of a minor.
A third suspect made a separate court appearance because they are a minor.
Derryn Culverwell had to attend both hearings and was photographed outside court.
Her ongoing "responsibilities" to the investigation meant she would likely be unable to fly home for least another week, her sister-in-law Derryn Hughes said.
She was being supported by two family members, who arrived in Panama this morning, while Culverwell's stepson and two friends had earlier arrived on the weekend.
They were busy trying to arrange what to do with the family's boat.
"The boat is full of their clothes and everything they had with them," Hughes said.
The family was also working on arrangements to bring Culverwell's body home and hoped to this week decide on a date for his funeral, she said.
The Culverwell family were attacked by pirates in Panama. Photos / Facebook
A Spanish-speaking member of staff from New Zealand's Mexican embassy, who flew to Panama, had also been an "invaluable" help.
Hughes earlier praised Derryn Culverwell's courage, saying her quick thinking and bravery saved the lives of her two young children.
Despite suffering a machete blow after her husband was shot when he went to investigate a noise in the night, Derryn Culverwell managed to lock herself and their twin children in the boat's cabin and make an emergency call to New Zealand to raise the alarm.
"She's a very brave woman. We are so grateful that she found that strength," Hughes said.
"She was fighting for her children's lives.
"I don't know what to say to her to thank her. This could have been so much worse."
The family had been on a dream trip, having sold their Marlborough Sounds property and bought a 65-foot launch. They had travelled to Florida to pick it up and were on a more than two-year journey home when terror struck.
They had been so meticulous with their preparations but nothing could prepare anyone for this, Hughes said.
"They were very diligent with things like security and safety," Hughes said.
On many occasions the family undertook man-overboard drills.
After managing to lock herself and her children in the cabin, Derryn Culverwell made an emergency call to close friends, Rebecca and Steve Woledge, back home.
The Culverwells' launch. Photo / Supplied
In a statement provided to media, Rebecca Woledge said she received the call at 6.05pm and told Steve to urgently get a rescue under way.
"We were solely focused on getting them help from then on. We would like to thank all of those who were involved in what was the longest night of our lives.
"This includes New Zealand Rescue Control Centre, the New Zealand Police, IMB, MFAT, Interpol, Panama Rescue Control Centre and our contacts in the superyacht and chartering industries, and anyone else I have failed to mention."
It was an unimaginable end to what was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime.
"Derryn and Alan built a beautiful place down in the Marlborough Sounds in Oyster Bay, and as the children got older they ended up selling that place," Hughes said.
Then the timing had felt right to travel with their kids and the family left New Zealand shortly before Christmas in 2016 after finding a vessel in Florida.
