Memorial Service held; search still on for Morvin

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Seventh Day Adventist Church in Cayon was on Tuesday filled with friends, family members and loved ones who gathered there to pay their last respects to 14 year old Morvin Mitcham.

On Friday, August 8, 2008, Mitcham was reportedly enjoying a day at Hermitage Bay with friends when he was reported missing at sea. Since then, he has not been seen and his loved ones are left to grapple with the possibility of never seeing him again.

At about the 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 2008, the Memorial Service began and saw, among others, his friends, paying their last respects to the lad who has been described as “a kind and friendly person”.

Following the church ceremony, the Pathfinders Drum Corps led a procession to the area where Mitcham was last seen and a brief ceremony was held there and wreaths were set afloat in his remembrance.

Shortly before Morvin was reported missing, he was surfing with friends at Hermitage Bay and, according to reports, he was on the surfboard when he began drifting out to sea. One of the other lads contacted his brother who rushed to the scene to assist, but when he arrived Morvin was nowhere in sight. The surfboard, however, had washed ashore. 

In an interview with SKNVibes, Public Affairs Officer of the St. Kitts Nevis Defence Force Lieutenant Kayode Sutton expressed that the Coast Guard is still conducting searches for Mitcham although they [searches] are not as intense as when the incident was first reported.

“Any loss of life we will regard as severe and the search has not been called off as yet. It has been scaled down but it’s not closed. However, it will be closed at some point. The search is not as intense as it was when the incident took place, but we will continue to search,” Sutton said.

Travis Hughes, the brother of Rijkard Hughes, one of the boys who went to the beach with Morvin, issued an appeal to persons via this media house to exercise caution when sea bathing at Hermitage Bay or when making plans to do so.

“The sea is very unpredictable and it is best to be very careful when going there. At least, have an adult with you who can swim and who can properly supervise you. Even if you think you are the best swimmer, still be careful.”