More than two weeks after the Anse Cochon boat collision that claimed four lives, family members, survivors, and friends are still struggling with their loss and sharing memories of those who did not make it home.
The victims were Mhakeida Nestor, 21, from La Fargue, Choiseul; Debbie Dolor, 25, from Market Road, Soufrière; and Marley William and Tyrone Paul from Barons Drive.
Tyrone’s sister, Dalpha Paul, recalled the heartbreaking moment she found out her brother had died.
She said she was asleep when the collision happened on Saturday night, July 18, and only learned about the tragedy the next morning after seeing many messages on WhatsApp.
“I woke up and saw everybody posting on WhatsApp, so I said let me go down the road because something happened,” she recalled.
When she got there, her relatives confirmed the sad news.
Paul said she could not understand how her brother, who was an excellent swimmer, could have died. But after several hours passed and Tyrone did not return, she lost hope.
“Tyrone can swim. So if they go on shore and you don’t get him, what does that mean? That means Tyrone was gone already,” she said.
Holding back tears, she said her brother was kind to everyone he met.
“The word to describe Tyrone, I don’t think they’ll be able to get it in the dictionary; when it comes to loving, caring – everything in one. Tyrone was the lover boy of the community.”
Lester Jean, who survived the collision, remembered the terrifying moments after the two boats crashed as passengers were returning from a party.
“We heard a big noise. People were shouting for help. We didn’t even know if our boat hit them or they hit us. We were all struggling at the same time,” he said.
Jean said the survivors searched desperately for those thrown into the water, calling out the names of Tyrone, Molly, and Debbie while they waited for help.
Jean said he needed several stitches and lost his prosthetic eye because of the impact.
He said the trauma from that night is still hard to process.
Close friend Alan Jules said he still feels the pain of losing Tyrone every day.
“He was my real friend. He was my best friend,” Jules said. “It was a mistake… a terrible mistake.”
The crash occurred just before midnight on July 18 near Anse Cochon, when the Ocean Angel and Mango Tours boats collided. Fourteen others were injured. After a four-day search, the bodies of Marley William and Tyrone Elivique were found off Anse La Raye Bay, raising the death toll to four.
Police are still investigating, and the Government has set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the tragedy and suggest ways to improve maritime safety.
