Captain bleeds to death in boat accident

62-YEAR-OLD San Juan boat captain bled to death on a boat at Icacos on Sunday afternoon after his legs were almost severed by the winch on the vessel.

District Medical Officer Dr Carmona pronounced Ricardo Phillips, of First Street, dead on the trawling vessel.

According to police reports, at about 1.15 pm Phillips was on board the vessel off Icacos point was walking on the trawler when his legs got caught in a fishing net. Reports stated that the fishermen were pulling on the neck of the winch when Phillips’ legs got tangled in net and pulled him into the motor of the winch.

Within moments, Phillips’ legs were almost severed and he fell to the floor of the boat. He began to bleed profusely and died, reports stated. Investigators from of the Cedros Police Station is continuing investigations.

Phillips’ relatives told Newsday they plan to take legal action against the owners of the trawler.

“Ricardo was the bread winner of the family. The company should have a compensation package for the family,” Marissa Joseph, Phillips’ daughter said at the Forensic Science Centre, St James yesterday.

Joseph claimed her father had not been insured with the company and the family would not receive any benefits. Joseph said although her father had been employed with the company for less than a year, he was a seasoned seaman for the past 30 years.

“I cannot understand how this accident happened,” she said angrily. “He was also a former captain of a ship.”

She also added the trawler which was involved in the accident had been under repairs for the past month.

“The boat was fixed last Tuesday,” she said.