BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE search for the teenager who was aboard a fishing boat that capsized at sea on June 30 continued yesterday morning (Jul. 2) and regional maritime bodies have been contacted for assistance.
Wilson Caines of Dieppe Bay was aboard a fishing vessel with his fellow-villager Chris Dorset when it capsized due to high winds. The vessel eventually returned to its proper position but they were unable to catch it as its motor was still running.
They were reportedly six miles out at sea having left from the Saddlers coast and, after an approximate 12-hour swim, Dorset successfully made it back to shore but reported that the 18-year-old Caines gave up on the way.
Fishermen of the area, along with the St. Kitts-Nevis Coast Guard, conducted searches for the lad but the operation had to be suspended due to lack of light.
Yesterday morning, according to Superintendent Cromwell Henry of District ‘B’, the Coast Guard continued but they eventually “suspended the search locally” and solicited assistance from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre out of Fort de France, Martinique – a unit of the French Army – and they are continuing the search with the aid of air assets.
The regional body, according to Henry, began its search yesterday afternoon (Jul. 2) and would continue “until the unity is satisfied it has done a sufficiently extensive search of the possible areas where the missing person might be found”.
The Superintendent said contact was also made with the St. Eustatius Coast Guard to provide assistance with the search.
