Mansion youth drowns in Atlantic Ocean

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A young man of Mansion Village today (June 20) lost his life by drowning in the Atlantic Ocean.

Twenty-four-year-old Dwight Mc Call of Long Alley, Mansion Village perished in the Atlantic Ocean at Mansion Bay while swimming with his older brother.

According to his sister, Venories, at about 11:00 a.m. today, she left her home for the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of Mansion Bay in search of whelks.

“A few minutes after I reached Mansion Bay, Dwight and Eirate arrived and they proceeded to swim. As I was leaving, I heard my brother shouting and I went to investigate. He told me that Dwight was drowning and I asked him to go and get help because the waves were high and the water was rough.

“While he was gone, I went into the water to help my brother but I am not a strong swimmer, and because of the rough water I made my way back to the shore. At that time, I believe something was wrong with Dwight because he was not doing anything to help himself…he just kept putting up his hands. He continued doing that for about five to seven minutes and I saw his body started floating away…then he suddenly disappeared,” the sister explained. 

Venories further explained that she ran to her parents’ home and gave them the sad news. She said that her father, Eirate Sr., immediately left the home and headed for Mansion Bay.

He told SKNVibes that when he arrived at the scene many people were already there, and two men retrieved his son’s body after it was seen atop the water close to the shore before submerging again.

Dwight was the last of four children born to Eirate Sr. and Lynette Mc Call. He was employed as the Sales and Marketing Analyst at Driftwood Duty Free Ltd., located at Port Zante.

According to Al O’Garro of Driftwood Duty Free Ltd., Dwight was a model employee who understood his duties with zeal and enthusiasm.

“He was active in his church and community and was an avid environmentalist and lover of nature. Dwight will be dearly missed and always remembered for his quiet and gentle demeanour. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dwight’s family and friends at this time of bereavement. May his soul rest in peace,” O’Garro said. 

Dwight was an active member of the Tabernacle of Praise Church in Tabernacle Village and always looked out for his family.

“Dwight had a very quiet disposition. He was family-oriented. He was a brilliant child who knew what he wanted in life and was always willing to help anyone who would have requested his involvement in anything productive,” his father said.

Eirate Sr. also informed that his son had returned to the Federation late last year after he had taken ill while in Taiwan on a scholarship studying to become a Meteorologist. He was a graduate of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and had his formal education at Estridge Primary School and Cayon High School.

It was also revealed that Dwight was asthmatic, and his father noted that plans were on the front burner for his enrolment at the University of the West Indies to continue his studies in Meteorology.