MISSING: Drew Rigby.
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A BOATING accident on Sunday has left a man missing at sea.
Police said sometime after 7pm officers received a report that an accident had occurred in the area off Rose Island involving a 26 ft boat and a jet ski. Initial investigations revealed that six people were in the boat while two people were on the jet ski when they collided.
The male driver of the jet ski received leg injuries while his male passenger was ejected into the ocean. Police and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force searched the area for the passenger, however he is still missing.
Loved ones say the missing man is Drew Rigby.
Keith Simms, Mr Rigby’s god-brother, said the man’s family is in shock.
He explained the 28-year-old was enjoying the holiday weekend with some of his friends when the incident took place.
Mr Simms revealed that Mr Rigby was the only one who was not wearing a life vest.
“The other person was wearing a life vest and they were able to retrieve him from the water,” he added.
Mr Simms noted the family found out about the incident shortly after it happened, around 7.15pm.
He said the RBDF and other vessels were searching the area the night of the accident and again on Monday. Loved ones have asked anyone with a boat who can help in the search to come forward.
“The Defence Force came. We had some other vessels out there last night… because you know in the night the Defence Force does not search in the night and it happened late,” Mr Simms said. “So the search and rescue was very short. So we started again this morning and we’re looking for persons with boats and other water vessels to help us with a search and rescue efforts.
“We’ve had some persons who would’ve assisted us with boats in the rescue effort. I think we have about four boats out now. We’re looking for more boats more persons to assist… to make sure that we cover all grounds necessary to recover Drew.”
He said the “waiting game” has been hard on family and friends, but “we are continuing to pray”.
“I’m praying that things work out in our favour,” Mr Simms said.
Comments
truetruebahamian 2 years, 9 months ago
Many new persons these days invade and diminish the serinity and sanctity of Rose Island and if they are what they do, then their loss is sad but it is what it is. .
proudloudandfnm 2 years, 9 months ago
Time for a license test for boating. Too many own boats and have no idea how to safely operate one....
Been boating and jet skiing all my life, zero accidents. My father would not allow me to operate one until he was satisfied I knew what I was doing.
DillyTree 2 years, 9 months ago
A tragic and avoidable incident.
As the above poster says, there are too many unskilled cowboys operating boats, and many boats lack basic safety gear. A $30 life jacket could have saved this young man's life.
I hope he is found and his family has some closure, but let this not be a "business as usual" incident. Time to talk about boat and jet ski licenses, boat registration and safety inspectiongs, and educating the boating public on safety issues.
immigrant 2 years, 9 months ago
Very sad indeed and prayers for the family. I have no idea the circumstances in this particular case, but we were just on Rose Island on Saturday and observed the jet skiers up and down the beach with no regard for swimmers or boat traffic. One of our passengers even remarked that it was a matter of time before they either killed a swimmer or themselves. It is every weekend...they show up like a swarm of mosquitos and know that there is nothing that will be done. They seem to delight in causing disruption. I pray this young man's family finds closure, and I really hope that this serves as an eye opener that the Bahamas needs to find a way to regulate those that want to be fools on the water. Alas...what am I saying...they can't even regulate these idiots on the streets...I guess Darwin's Law of Natural Selection will be the deciding factor.
JohnQ 2 years, 9 months ago
Rose Island was once a place of solitude and beauty. It is rapidly becoming a party zone free for all visited by unruly crowds who have no concern for others and the environment around them.
Too bad, it was a nice place until the thugs on jet ski's took over.
Sickened 2 years, 9 months ago
Let me guess, no one in the boat could swim so no one went in the water to look for this poor fella. I mean the guy could only have been a dozen or so feet away from the boat after the collision, and nobody could see him? If he wasn't floating he was surely underwater which means someone with sense would have jumped in the water to look for him.
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