The tender on the rocks at Anse des Cayes, Saint-Barthélemy. (Photo courtesy “Le Journal de Saint-Barth”)
GUSTAVIA--The tender of a yacht moored in the port of Gustavia, Saint-Barthélemy, crashed into rocks on the point of Anse des Cayes on the evening of Saturday, December 21, causing injuries to several passengers on board.
According to “Le Journal de Saint-Barth”, six of the 11 American occupants were taken to Iréne de Bruyn Hospital to be treated for light injuries, including a female victim who was ejected from the vessel when it hit the rocks. The report indicated she sustained serious face injuries and was due to be flown to Miami on Sunday, December 22.
Service Territorial d’Incendie et de Secours (STIS) (Territorial Fire and Rescue Service) firefighters responded to the accident in addition to three STIS ambulances. The Gendarmerie also arrived as back-up, followed by the mobile emergency and resuscitation service (Structure Mobiles d’Urgence et de Reanimation (SMUR)).
With the boat stranded almost 250 metres from the road, the STIS team had to carry the equipment needed to rescue its 11 occupants on foot.
The remaining occupants of the crashed tender, dressed in swimming gear, were in shock as they were questioned by Gendarmes and the pompiers. They were tested for alcohol and drug use. Those results were not known. It was mentioned that the damaged tender was not a pollution risk.
The Gendarmerie has opened an investigation into the cause of the accident.
