Officials announced on Thursday that drugs and needles were allegedly discovered along with the bodies of two American security contractors found dead on the Maersk Alabama earlier this week, CNN reported.
The contractors, identified as Jeffrey Reynolds, 44, and Mark Kennedy, 44, were found on Tuesday after a co-worker went to check up on one of the men in the afternoon. They were currently working for the Trident Group -- a Virginia-based maritime security services firm -- and were former Navy SEALs.
"It's bizarre. Of course, it's a shock. They're all great guys," Trident President Tom Rothrauff said. "I'm absolutely clueless as to what happened."
Though police said an autopsy was scheduled for early next week, a Seychelles government official who spoke on the condition on anonymity said that the traces of drugs and drug paraphernalia "would suggest that their deaths were a result of drug overdose."
A statement issued by Seychelles police did not confirm or deny the accusation of drugs found with the men.
The Maersk Alabama became internationally known after it was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009, inspiring the 2013 film "Captain Phillips." On Thursday, the famous ship, which was stationed in Port Victoria, said Trident will be carrying out random drug tests of other employees.
"Based on our experience with the contractor, this is an isolated incident," Maersk said.
U.S. Coast Guard spokesman, Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Frederick, said the deaths were being investigated by mentioned the deaths "do not appear to be criminal in nature, related to vessel operations, the material condition of the ship or their duties as security personnel."
