Three men unscathed after boat capsizes in rough seas
RCIPS Joint Marine Unit vessel, the Niven D
(CNS): The RCIPS Joint Marine Unit was called out to a boating incident on Wednesday evening, in which three men avoided any serious consequences after their boat overturned in the waters off Seven Mile Beach. But the police noted that the men had no life jackets and they had not alerted the Port Authority that they were going out to sea before setting off. The JMU responded to a 911 report from a member of the public yesterday evening at about 5:30.
The caller said that they had seen a small, overturned boat drifting about 500 feet offshore in rough sea conditions with three men in the water. The Niven D responded and found two of the men onshore near Tiki Beach and a third swimming toward shore. Marine officers performed medical checks and provided assistance and police said the men were not injured.
Inspector Leo Anglin, who heads up the JMU, raised his concerns about the disregard for safety by these men and others like them.
“Despite tragic incidents in recent months, we continue to see instances in which people have not taken recommended steps to ensure their own safety while out on the water,” he said. “This includes a failure to wear life vests or notify the Port Authority when departing on boating trips. We all have a responsibility to ourselves and the larger community to enjoy the beautiful waters surrounding our islands safely.”
Category: Local News
This story seems to be about a nervous nelly that panicked and called 9-1-1 upon seeing a high buoyancy plastic kayak overturn inside the 200 yard markers on seven mile beach just before sunset, where 2/3 swam easily and safely to shore before police arrived. The third paused to have a pee, possibly to recover kayak or paddles, and emerged on the beach moments later. If this is the case, we’re left to wonder what “medical checks” were necessary from this exaggerated police account Inspector Leo Anglin? They didn’t alert the Port Authority of their sunset beach kayak plan? Seriously? Did the flutter-board kids down the beach consult with the Port Authority? Sounds like there are fast-tracked, career-driven Caymanian police recruits already campaigning for their daydream of a future native-led CoP position – and willing to manufacture drama and betray the honest account in an effort to declare themselves. That’s what’s going on here, and we’re going to need to watch for it.
In other news, police today announced they have rescued several pedestrians who had ventured out on the roads without notifying the authorities. By the time police arrived the pedestrians had made it to their destination, but police provided assistance and medical attention. A local RCIPS spokesman praised the work of the officers, noting that despite tragic incidents in recent months, people continue to cross the road and use the sidewalks. Whilst the police were often criticized for failing to catch dirt bikers, control drunk or reckless driving or prevent fatal accidents, people failed to appreciate the superlative work done by the police in responding to road crossings such as this, noting that in this case the prompt intervention of police once the pedestrians had crossed the road may have averted a tragedy. “We need more positive publicity about everyday stories of police courage and community service such as this to balance the picture”, the spokesman added.
LOL Thanks you for one of the funniest and ‘nail hit on the
on head’ comments on CNS
Seems the police are damned if they do and damned if they don’t and the public gets a pass for taking responsibility for their own safety. Way to go!!! Let the police do everything for us including putting life vests on us before we go out. Why should we take any responsibility I wonder!!!!!!
Unless people are made to pay for rescue efforts which have to be conducted as a result of their own inept behavior, this sort of thing will continue to happen. Anyone who is going out in rough weather conditions and has to be rescued needs to pay up!
you are disgusting for thinking like that.
I hardly agree that they should pay. It’s not like they went out thinking they were going to capsize. Sometimes there are just dumb decisions made by cocky people. I see where you are going with your comment though. I just don’t think they will be deterred because they will have pay for the rescue. I think there should more of an awareness campaign about the dangers of boating in rough seas, even though it seems quit obvious. Or we just go about our business and call it natural selection.
500 ft from shore (hell, people are going to do the Flowers swim in a few weeks a lot further than that), inside the reef, returned to shore under their own steam – hat about this particular incident other than the police bigging it up makes you think this was a @dumb decision by cocky people.
It would be nice to aspire to have a Marine Unit that pro-actively and routinely stopped and inspected vessels for required safety equipment and fine those that are not in compliance – before there is an emergency situation. The fines could go towards rescue costs and equipment. We are already paying a lot of money for services that are sporadically delivered. Rescues are inevitable with or without gear when we are surrounded by blue water. Sometimes stuff breaks, engines quit, mechanics fail to fix the faulty fuel gauge, rogue waves etc. Nobody “deserves to die” because of an unforeseen misfortune. Hopefully these are learning experiences, not death sentences.
The RCIPS / Port Authority / Shipping Registry have little legal enforcement authority.
About 20 plus years ago a law was drafted to set standards for boats operating in the Cayman Islands. There was much public opposition, primarily from the North Sound tourist boat operators and that was the end of the matter.
There were many good common sense safe boat operation provisions in the draft law.
It would be interesting to dust off that draft law, republish it then see the reaction from the public.
Reread the story.
“The Niven D responded and found two of the men onshore near Tiki Beach and a third swimming toward shore.”
Who exactly was rescued?
There is at least one error is this story as issued by RCIPS. This watercraft was in fact a red kayak and the men retained control at all times right up until they pulled it ashore near Tiki Beach. I was on the beach and personally observed the event and RCIPS response in the area.
Perhaps the story has been “exaggerated” this story so as to shine a positive light on RCIPS response actions?
Also, for those sarcastic posters to whom it matters, the kayakers were NOT native Caymanians but God knows why everything here has to be “Caymanian vs Expat?? Disgusting!!
CNS are you able to follow up with the PR department if this is accurate. This is quite a variance from the released statement. If spin stories are going to more forthcoming, the public has a right to know.
^ True story. Not native but born and bred. No lifejackets because we’re all very capable swimmers having grown up here and we made an informed decision to go through with kayak plans that day. While the 911 caller jumped the gun you can’t blame them and the police response was over the top, though after recent mishaps I suppose you can’t blame them either. Fabricating to the press however…
This is true, it was not a boat it was a kayak, 4 people between 2 kayaks, one of which overturned and the 2 guys in it got separated, one of the guys swam to shore asked my partner to lend him his phone and call for help,they were all coming to shore when the police arrived.Thank god it was not another tragedy on the water and in fairness to the police they showed up fairly soon after the emergency call, however I’m not sure why this story differs so much from the truth.
That’s a complete lie. There were 3 of us on a 3 seated kayak and none of us swam to shore to use anyone’s phone. We never got separated. One of the 3 of us had fins so when we got close enough to shore he decided to help the weight on the kayak by swimming the rest of the way. Why make things up?
So your the youngster that we saw two days previous driving down westbay road in the Suzuki grand vitra that had the red kayak hanging out the back with just one of you holding it in the back seat?
There was a yellow kayak and a red one, the yellow one flipped.
There was one red one only. We had it tied up and the person was in the back with it mainly because there was no space to sit in the front. For you to call the police on us for that when we had the kayak secured and were driving safely is over the top. You should be fined for wasting police time or stupidity. One of the two.
Uh if it was a truck and someone was sitting in the back, then the individual sitting in the back was doing so illegally and the driver should be charged.
If that’s not the case, then yes the caller wasted resources.
500 feet ‘offshore’. I dont think the port authority would even register that. If everyone notified them of going 500 feet ‘offshore’ they would be inundated.
It’s the Police fault this happened!!
Wow those incompetent police got it right again.
Thank you RCIPS for saving lives.
The lifes of the guys already onshore when they got there, or the life of the guy that swam up when they were there? What were they going to die of, boredom?
If your IQ is equal to, or lesser than, your shoe size, please refrain from maritime activities.
We’re Caymanians, we don’t need to wear life jackets.Those are for expats.
wow, left field, particularly since most of those effected in the latest tragedies are not “from” here.
Like most Caymanians 5:25, they had Jamaica origins but Gary, at least had been here for about 40 years. Why do we deny they are part of us but we love to embrace those Jamaicans that excel on, eg, the sports field, as if they are “from here”. Such hypocrisy.
They are Jamaican criminals with Caymanians status that could and should have been revoked many years ago. Calling them Caymanians without acknowledging that they are imports is a slap in the face of the Caymanian people who historically had nothing like the criminality that now pervades as part of their culture or society. we have been importing too many people who do not deserve to be here and are literally destroying it including for the original Caymanian people who welcomed them.
I suggest you check the Cause List on the Judiciary department website each week,9:46 and other deniers of Caymanian criminality. If you are a “real’ “generational” “born” Caymanian, you will recognise the names and families of those appearing time and time again in our courts and, yes, there are some whose background is not from here, but by God the majority of them are rock solid generational Caymanians.I would list names but CNS would likely not print.
I would do some more homework. I am sick and tired of the blame being bestowed on the Caymanian people. Yes, there is an element of criminality that we produce, but it is disgusting and particularly galling that we Caymanians have to bear the burden and shame of very significant and serious criminality imported from elsewhere and our Government seems to do nothing about it.
In recent days:
Michelle Bouchard (Canadian) stole 2 million.
Tamara Butler (Guyanese) murder.
Marcia Douglas (Jamaican) PR Scammer.
Judith Hamilton (Jamaican) PR Scammer.
Previous weeks were not better.
Seriously???? That’s the best you can do? The poster allowed for the fact that there were some furriners but you picked and chose better than a health insurer company trying to minimise its risk bobo!!
I just took your challenge. The great majority of persons called to appear before Magistrate Foldats in the summary court session starting on Monday are indeed not from here.
Bullshit!!!!!!!
You need to check Grand Court plus ALL the magistrates. Stop cherry picking! By the way, CNS, if i wanted to list all our born Caymanians in any one week to prove a point would you print them? We have some stubborn readers that just cannot believe how many Caymanians are criminals. Clearly, they are not teachers or social workers.
CNS: I’d have to think about that. Any thoughts from readers?
I’m not the poster you responded to 9;16 but I also checked all the lists and found that his/her comment was basically correct. You selected Foldats’ list because it did indeed have some foreign sounding names on it but the other lists were different. I noticed also one name on Foldats list -a Jamaican here for donkey years married to a born Caymanian. Do you and people like you blame born Caymanians for marrying people “not from here’ who end up in court?
No, but a Jamaican married to a Caymanian is still a Jamaican – so please do not report it as crime committed by a Caymanian. That is misleading.
As a Caymanian with a couple of family members who, to my embarrassment, are on the wrong side of the law frequently, I also took the challenge 9:16. That particular day you carefully chose (as opposed to the other magistrates) allowed you to make your dubious point. I suggest you look at the Cause Lists for the Grand Court and ALL the magistrates EVERY week. It’s depressing my friend. Yes, there are “foreigners” but the majority are born here (so what if one of the parents is not from here, the other one IS from here?)
I notice that appearing in another court-again, he is frequent- is the brother of a Government Minister. But his father was a Jamaican so…….does that make him “not from here”?
I don’t look at these lists every week but I do fairly regularly and I must admit that the majority are from here even if they don’t have what used to be thought of as typical Caymanian names.
Wrong. Caymanians will welcome and embrace anyone here who is honest and hardworking and seeks to build a better Cayman with Caymanians. It makes no difference where they are from.
But when those who have been welcomed here turn around and betray the Caymanian people, we have every right to call them out and ask how they have been permitted to come and live amongst us, and why they have been allowed to stay. Most of all, we deserve the right to point out to relative newcomers and visitors, that those who have come here and betray their welcome are not who WE are.
Amen.
So Caymanians don’t commit crimes bobo? Only those that we welcome here blah blah? Check the Cause List.
I did. A scary number of imports are on it.
Right. So all those people here more than 9 years whose PR applications are still not dealt with are welcomed and being embraced? Be honest – you just don’t want immigrants, irrespective of whether they are criminals or law abiding members of society “seeking to build a better Cayman with Caymanians”. When you don’t allow the good people who have invested in the community to stay its a bit difficult to claim that deportation is reserved for the criminals.
Yeah, you were born in life jackets and float on sea or land.
Masyers of the seas!
Does that mean that we are to call the port authority if we’re headed out (North) to the sandbar or out West (SMB) for the day???????
Serious?
Ask Auntie nuh!
Or go for a paddle off SMB, by the sounds of it.