A fisherman left hospitalized by a boat accident that killed his colleague beside him in the water is counting his blessings.
Rohan Saint survived what police are calling a “freak accident” when a boat slammed into him and his longtime colleague off Tower isle, St Mary.
The accident on Wednesday, June 15, has left Saint hospitalized with neck and hip injuries.
But although he is happy to be alive and not seriously injured, 48-year-old Rohan Saint is saddened at the loss of his friend, Kevin Hall, who he knew more popularly as ‘Peppa.’
Reports are that Saint and his friend, Hall, were deep sea diving at about 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, near the Couples Tower Isle Hotel when tragedy struck. They had left the beach next to the hotel a short time earlier with nets to set and armed with spear guns for fishing.
A sail boat that had three persons on board, hit both men. Hall was hit severely in the head and was pronounced dead at hospital. The details of how the incident happened are not available. Police told The Times they have taken statements from Saint and that they had taken statements from one person on the boat. Their information is that no tourist was on the boat at the time. DSP Dwight Powell, in charge of the St Mary police told The Times police were investigating what seemed a “freak accident”.
DEEP SEA
Saint, who was surrounded by family and friends, in the St Ann’s Bay Hospital last Friday morning, June 17, recounted the untimely event that led to him being in the hospital bed.
“We went deep sea fishing. We left out from Tower Isle fishing village and we were going to the reef. When we reached near the reef the boat ram into us. We looked, we didn’t see it. I just felt a sharp pain to mi side and head,” Saint explained.
He said that he did not know it was a boat at first, but thought it was a shark and reached for his fishing gun. However, he started feeling dizzy and began to sink.
“Mi say to myself that mi can’t dead yah so. And a so mi fight it and go back up the water top and me come to realize say is a boat with three people. So me ago turn to mi friend and say so a weh dis yah idiot come from. But when mi turn and look me nuh see nobody. So when mi realize me nuh see the net bag and mi see blood a cum up from the water and mi just mek one dive. Me neva have no goggles or nuting in a mi mouth, but mi neva want nuting happen to mi friend,” Saint went on to recall.
He futher recounted that he swam some 10 to 11 feet and finally saw his friend Kevin Hall. There was a lot of blood coming from Hall’s mouth and he was foaming. However, despite being injured himself, Saint held Hall and pulled him to the surface.
“When me grab him and squeeze him, a pure water and blood a come out him. So me spin round and grab him net bag and use it as a float fi hold him up and mi beckon to the man (on the boast) and start shout ‘help’!” Saint explained.
FEELING DIZZY
The man on the boat along with the two passengers on board turned back. Saint explained that the man helped him with Hall. However, the man later explained to Saint that Hall had drowned.
“Mi start feel dizzy and a faint weh and dem (persons on the boat) a say ‘no you have to stay with us,’” Saint further explained.
The last thing Saint said he remembered was helping to steer the boat, before it crashed into a retaining wall near the reef. He did not remember how he got to the hospital or who took him.
“All and all, I don’t know what to say to ‘Peppa’ (Kevin Hall) and his family. Mi try mi best to help him and a two time mi almost drown,” Saint explained, while clearly still in pain, last Friday morning.
He remembered Hall as “one of the most honest person” and noted that Hall prayed every morning at about 9:30 where ever he happened to be, despite not being a Christian.
“We go fishing everywhere together. Annotto Bay and Robin’s Bay,” Saint added.
He is extremely grateful for the support that he has been getting as he noted that he has been getting calls from all over the world, people having been praying and also fasting for his speedy recovery.
