One killed, two injured in Sosua bay boating tragedy

posted on: Aug 3 2010 10:59 by The Reporter. Viewed 892 times.


Three swimmers were seriously injured last Thursday when a banana boat hit them in Sosua bay.

Thirty-two year old Benedicto Alfonso Aybar Vivas from Santiago died shortly after the incident while being treated at the Cabarete Medical Center, from cranial trauma, blunt chest trauma and asphyxia from drowning after being hit by the boat�s propeller.

The other two injured were named as Juan Antonio Guillermo, aged 58, and Martha N��ez Guillermo, 42.
According to witnesses, the three swimmers were hit by the boat, when it entered the area reserved for bathers, at high speed.

Fresh calls for more control of the motorized boats operating in the bay were made by Sosua residents, as it is well known that the motorized craft frequently operate without any apparent consideration for bathers in the water, and countless near misses have been recorded over the last few years.

Many residents indicated that they were surprised a tragedy of this nature did not occur more frequently.