On June 25, 2016, Trevon Thomas aka ‘Mutty Don’, died from injuries suffered in a freak boating accident in Road Harbour. Photo: Team of Reporters/Facebook

Television talk show host, Mr John Lewis lamented that a life was recently lost in a boating accident and said he was not going to shut up until his message of safety at sea was clear. Photo: Youtube

“Some weeks ago when I was here last we talked about safety at sea and how the Poker Run should be conducted. I know a caller berated me asking that I leave it alone. However, since then we have had some sad news, someone lost a life using the same equipment that we were concerned about and we will talk about it again and again until the message is clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying your pastime provided it’s done with safety in mind,” Mr Lewis said on the Speak Your Mind show on JTV Channel 55 on Saturday July 9, 2016.

Fatal boating accident

On June 25, 2016, Trevon Thomas aka ‘Mutty Don’, died from injuries suffered in a freak boating accident in Road Harbour.

Thomas, who was said to be from the US Virgin Islands, was in a power boat when the boat toppled while going at a fast rate. The young man was flung into the water. He was rushed to Peebles Hospital with severe injuries and subsequently died.

The accident was caught on video and had been circulating on social media. Another person who was in the boat, Tarik Aaron, was also injured and was rushed to hospital.

Lewis ‘cussed’ for advocating boat safety measures

It was just on June 4, 2016 during an edition of Speak Your Mind that Mr Lewis had slammed what he described as reckless behaviour during this year's Leverick Bay Poker Run which took place on Sunday May 29, 2016.

“Somebody will get hurt eventually,” Mr Lewis had said.

He had noted that while the event was going on there was a squall, “and just imagine what would have happened if one had to make a sharp deviation to the right or to the left, and you got thrown off that boat and you are not a swimmer and there are other boats coming at you. What happens?”

He said persons need to be seriously concerned about the enforcement of safety, noting that he had observed persons not wearing the requisite personal safety devices or floatation devices.

A member of the public had called in to the programme and was seemingly upset with the information that Mr Lewis was seeking to give members of the public regarding safety at Poker Run. The man asked why the need for seat belts in powerboats when the same is not required for party boats.

Lewis then informed him that the party boats are not likely to be travelling at 50 knots.

“Partner if ayo ain't got nothing to talk come off the f--king radio!” the caller said angrily.