Authorities are still investigating a boat wreck that left 10 people stranded but unhurt in late July after their vessel struck a buoy near Brandywine Bay.
Police said at the time that they received a distress call via 911 on July 26 — the day of the Christmas in July event at Pond Bay on Virgin Gorda — and that members of their Marine Unit and Virgin Islands Search and Rescue responded to assist a vessel taking on water in Road Harbour.
The 10 passengers, who were all residents of Puerto Rico, were rescued and taken safely to Village Cay Marina, according to the Police Information Office.
Investigation
In an update last Thursday, Chief Marine Safety Accident Investigator Jerome Padmore confirmed that the vessel was the MV Mojaito, a Stamas 310 Tarpon fishing boat that had been returning to Tortola from the Virgin Gorda event.
He explained that the boat struck a green steel lateral buoy about 0.4 nautical miles south of the Brandywine Bay entrance, sustaining structural damage that caused it to partially sink. No one was injured, he added.
“Safety accident investigations typically involve in-depth examinations of systems, procedures and human factors,” Mr. Padmore said, adding, “I want to assure you that a comprehensive investigation is under way, and a detailed report will be made available to the public once the investigation into the accident is complete.”
The Marine Safety Investigation and Reporting Authority, which operates under the Premier’s Office, said its investigations are designed to identify safety issues and prevent future accidents — not to assign blame or liability.
Rescue effort
Mr. Padmore urged members of the public to report all marine accidents to the authority as required by law.
The MSIRA is guided by the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations, 2020, and the International Maritime Organisation’s Casualty Investigation Code.
Its primary goal, officials said, is to enhance maritime safety through fact-based investigations and safety recommendations.