Yesterday we told you that the body of Kimane Garcia was received at the Coast guard base by his family and colleagues, and later taken to the KHMH morgue where a post mortem examination will be conducted, to assist in the investigations behind his tragic death. Garcia was out on duty in Bacalar Chico, when he fell overboard and sustained fatal injuries from the boat's propeller. The Coast Guard has labelled his death as a major marine casualty, and while preparations are being made to lay him to rest, Commandant Elton Bennet spoke with us today about how his officers have been coping following the loss of their first guardsman in the line of duty:
Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant at Belize Coast Guard
"A very tough time for his family as well. He shares his family with his bloodline, his biological family, but he also has one arm of a family in the Coast Guard. So we're grieving. Very, very tough time for us."
"This is the first member of the Coast Guard who has died on operational duty. So it requires us to do due diligence in terms of giving him the respect that he deserves. He will be buried with full honour."
"We had a ceremonial procession when we received the body of the Coast Guard headquarters, and the family was there as well, and we transported the body over to the morgue. We're working with the family to plan the funeral."
"It will be a full military funeral. And then we move from there."
