On Friday, a tourist lost three of his fingers in a boat's propeller. Around 5:30, 42-year-old Frenchman Theirry Rouqet was snorkeling just off the coast of Caye Caulker when he saw a Triple J water taxi almost upon him. He today told us that he had no time to swim away and the only thing he could do was dive under the water. That saved his life but not his fingers. The boat's propeller sliced off three fingers from Rouquet's right hand.
There is a bit of controversy around the incident since Rouqet shouldn't have been swimming in that area. He agrees he may have been in the wrong area, but there was no sign telling him not to snorkel there. But more than that misunderstanding, he is in pain and distraught about the loss of three fingers.
Theirry Rouqet,
"I put my head above the water and I only saw a boat very fast approaching me and so the thing I could do was push. I went under the water but unfortunately my right hand went to the engine and the engine cut off three of my fingers. I was not far, I was not close to the reef. I was maybe one hundred meters from
the beach in a place where every tourist can be.
What is difficult for me to understand is why they are no signs, it is a stupid accident. With signs of course, I wouldn't have gone in the water. What I can't understand too is the attitude of the owner of the boat. I heard from thee police that the owner only said he is not responsible and that I was in the wrong place and at the wrong moment. But if this one man feels he has strictly no responsibility, that is really what I can't understand. I am I think about of course my accident but I am speaking too about other people, because one day, maybe tomorrow, maybe in six months, children will die, will be injured for the same problem.
What I fear is that there is a serious problem in Caye Caulker for the arriving of the boats and I would like to give this message, please please change something, put signs. It is a nice place, the country is nice but it is a dangerous place."
Roquet is from France but lives in Guatemala. The manager of Triple J this evening told us that he had no comment. Police meanwhile aren't sure if they'll charge the boat captain. Press Officer G. Michael Reid said the boat was traveling on its regular route. And while there aren't any signs in the area, Reid says hotel owners normally advise their guests to stay out of the area. The Port Authority had no comment.
