AFTER RAFTING ACCIDENT, THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR RAFT CAPTAIN “BAGGA JAGGA” AND 5-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN BOY!

Observer staff reporter—

MARTHA BRAE, Trelawny — Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard divers and raftmen are expected to continue searching today for the bodies of a five-year-old American boy who was vacationing in Jamaica, and a local raft captain, who they fear drowned in the Martha Brae River.

The two — 65-year-old Llewellyn Reid, also known as “Bagga Jagga” of Zion in Trelawny, and Jace Jones of Massachusetts, United States — are feared dead from a drowning incident Tuesday afternoon.

A source said about 1:30 pm Tuesday, Reid was navigating a raft down the river with the five-year-old boy, three male siblings — ages ranging from five to nine — and their female cousin when the five-year-old fell off the raft.

Reid jumped into the water to save the child but got into difficulties and is feared dead.

The children were eventually rescued from the raft after it drifted to a section of the river bank.

Johnny Gourzong, operator of Rafter’s Village, who bemoaned the tragic incident, described Reid as a very experienced rafter.

“This raft captain (Reid) is one of the most experienced. He was a good swimmer because he was the one who does the cleaning for us every month. He removes plastic and bottles that people throw into the river and makes sure there is no overhanging branches that can hurt a rafter — so he knew the river inside, upside down,” Gourzong said.

 

“… I never had a problem with him since I have been operating from 1985, and he was there long before that,” said Gourzong.

He, however, questioned why Reid allowed the children to remove their life jackets, which is against the policy of the company.

“We don’t allow any raft to be dispatched unless the rafters have on a life jacket. It is a tragedy,” Gourzong bemoaned.

“I don’t know what would have gotten into his (Reid) head to have allowed them to remove the life jackets.

“The problem with rafting, unlike a pool or the beach, is once the raft is dispatched and turns the first corner, you have no more control. He (captain) is the man in full control.”

Wesley Innis, grandfather of the American boy, also concurred that life jackets were put on the children before they went on the raft.

In fact, Innis disclosed that he assisted workers to place the life jackets on his grandchildren.

The traumatised grandfather recounted that after dropping off the children up the river he went down- stream to await them, but later received the shocking news.

“Me can’t believe. A strange feeling took over my stomach when I got the news,” Innis told the Jamaica Observer.

The five-year-old and his two older brothers were visiting relatives on the island when they went to the popular attraction.

They were expected to return home today.