5 tourists on 2 Tortola beaches narrowly escape drowning
Word reaching our newsroom and information from other sources close to the incident confirmed that three cruise ship tourists were swimming at Cane Garden Bay beach when they were involved in a mishap that could have led to their drowning.
While swimming at one of the most popular beaches on Tortola, they experienced swimming challenges and had to be rescued by other swimmers, and a ship agent. The three persons were all returned to land safely.
The Cane Garden Bay beach has no lifeguards.
The same day January 11, 2016 there was another near tragedy. This time, two cruise ship tourists had to be rescued from downing at Smuggler’s Cove beach, which is located on the western end of Tortola. The two tourists were brought back to safety by other swimmers and locals at the beach.
Smuggler’s Cove beach is yet another beach without any lifeguards. There are also reports by an eyewitness that the next day, Tuesday January 12, 2016 two other tourists also experienced swimming mishaps and had to be rescued from drowning at Smuggler’s Cove.
A senior Government Official, speaking to our newsroom on condition of anonymity, said “we have to be thankful that the five visitors’ lives were all saved or else that would have been a serious blow to the issue of beach safety and our tourism sector.”
No Lifeguard programme; no money
Last year November saw the death of a tourist while swimming at Cane Garden Bay beach. The Lifeguard Programme pulled out of Cane Garden Bay beach in November of 2011. The Conservation and Fisheries Department, which runs the Lifeguard Programme, said lack of government financial support ended the programme.
The Programme never operated at Smuggler’s Cove beach. There are also no Beach Lifeguards at one of the most popular beaches on the sister island of Virgin Gorda, The Baths.
Currently, the Lifeguard Programme only operates at one beach on Tortola- Josiah’s Bay- with none on the sister islands.
The staff is only three, with two lifeguards and a supervisor. With the National Democratic Party (NPP) Government reportedly leaving the Treasury broke after the June 8, 2015 elections, according to critics, there appears to be no plans to expand the programme in the soon to come 2016 Budget.
Acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer Kelvin Penn has continued to refer all inquiries on this topic to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour.
32 Responses to “5 tourists on 2 Tortola beaches narrowly escape drowning”
This government lack brains and creative solutions it’s so SAD!
The required training of lifeguards to enhance their skills and knowledge is a continuous activity that needs to be in place. The government seriously needs to consider re-starting the provision of lifeguard services at especially the most popular beaches throughout the territory and to contact partners in the tourism industry for joint sponsorship of the programme. The same government that can find private partners with whom to invest $7 million in an airline can surely find private partners to help protect beachgoers, who find themselves in difficulty. Formal competitions can be developed as a way to encourage training, and also as a social activity. Tourists will come and enjoy our beaches and return home to tell others the good news. How about it?
You need to realize that the present government will only invest in what they themselves will get their pockets filled with money.. they don't care about the people of this territory nor it needs. And for those of you who said in previous comments that this is a democratic society, please think and come again. We are now ruled by dictatorship. who don't realize it is because they don't want to. There is no help from the Governor, England or anyone else to free us from these tyrants. the only thing they do is tax the locals while their rich friends spend our dollars and get everything free. Every rope has an end somewhere. Looks like UP*****G IS THE ONLY SOLUTION HERE.
for warnings about undertow. End of Long Bay also has undertow and is dangerous. The more soft cruise ship people using the beaches without understanding of how to look at the water is a problem which will only get worse when crowds and weather collide. Yes, we need lifeguards on key beaches, but it would be nice to have those flags for when there aren't any and we need warning. Who will do that? Pickering, police? someone assigned to oversee each district on many issues?
You may want to educate them about the riptide before they leave the ship with some well placed, informative brochures....then reinforce it with the signs and flags on the beaches....CYA ......and do something....
We don't need to be a poor man's Ocho rios. We need to be a better alternative to st Barth, Anguilla, Dominca, Barbados.
taxi drivers could tell them the danger but just grabbing the dollars and driving like idiots.
VISAR ought to be given annual resources from govt to run this and regular affordable swimming lessons for residents, which ought to be mandatory in primary school.