This could mean that all the ‘rules of the road’ in the maritime industry may not have been followed.
Mario Lockhart, Cedric Hart and Clint Forbes, who were all passengers of the Sea Hauler, testified during the public inquiry into the boating accident that they could see no light as the barge approached them.
Mr. Hart also testified that after he boarded the boat, which was bound for Cat Island, there were no safety drills and no indication from crewmembers where life vests or rafts were located.
Comparing the collision to that of the Titanic, Mr. Hart who was reportedly knocked unconscious during the incident, relayed what he said he remembered about the tragedy.
“I got hit from where I was,” he said. “I pushed my niece and the crane fell on top of her shoulder and damaged her….when I first got hit, I could feel nothing from my waist go down…I saw no lights.”
Aided by crutches, Mr. Hart told the inquiry – which is headed by Commissioner Joseph Strachan – that he now has a fractured lower spine and had to remain in hospital for three-and-a-half weeks following the collision.
“I told the people on the boat I couldn’t feel from my spine go down,” Mr. Hart said. “They cushioned some life jackets on the side of me. I am now trying therapy.”
During the incident four persons were killed and 25 injured.
Mr. Lockhart said he witnessed about three passengers go overboard. He said they jumped over because they thought the boat was taking on water.
Mr. Lockhart added that after diving overboard, the passengers swam to the ‘Sherice M’ which came on the scene to provide assistance shortly after the accident.
Mr. Forbes, a 34-year-old attendant at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, also recounted the horrors of the accident.
“People were hollering and people were hurt,” he said. “I [took] the crane off three ladies. I put one on top of the speakers because the crane was on her back and the next lady, the crane was left on her shoulder and one got knocked on her neck. I got hit on my knee not from the crane, but the piece of wood that was holding up the canvas. I watched when the crane fell on the two ladies that died, then I watched when the bow of the United Star knocked over the gentleman, then hit the young little boy,” Mr. Forbes told the inquiry.
Additionally, Lieutenant Carlon Bethel, who was attached to the HMBS Inagua on the date in question, spoke of how the ‘rules of the road’ should have been applied leading up to the incident. Those rules are requirements that ought to be adhered to by captains or whomever may be at the helm of a vessel.
Mr. Bethel said once two vessels are about to collide head on, the rules dictate that there are warning signals such as flashing lights or blowing horns to indicate that the boats are about to turn instead.
The lieutenant, who was the most senior officer at the scene during the initial hours following the collision, added that once navigational lights are on, the mass lights can be seen from up to five miles and side lights from about three miles.
When asked by Attorney Kendal Wright if there is any imminent danger in a captain leaving the helm of a vessel, Mr. Bethel responded “no”.
He said that the same person should not be at the wheel and keeping watch simultaneously.
Commissioner Strachan then asked whether the collision was head on.
Mr. Bethel said, “Considering the damage that I saw, I came to a conclusion that there could have been two scenarios. The first is there was a meeting situation. However, actions to avoid each other were taken by one vessel and the other did not. It was taken a bit late. Either that or it was a crossing situation and at the point of crossing, one vessel’s bow hit the stern of the other vessel.”
Under cross-examination, he admitted that in a situation where the two vessels were too close, the use of a horn or light signals would not prevent a collision. He said the alternative would be to ‘starboard’, which is to turn the vehicle to the left or right to avoid impact.
By Hadassah Hall, The Bahama Journal
