Cruise Ship Passenger in Wheelchair Plunges Off Dock, Two Locals Dive in to Save Her
Two men have been hailed as heroes for the rescue of a young female wheelchair user who fell into the water while the cruise ship she was traveling on was docked.
The unnamed girl was a passenger on board the Carnival Fascination which had stopped in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Monday.
Two locals, Kuntry Hamilton and Randolph Donovan, sprung into action when the girl in her wheelchair fell into the water off the West Indian Company Dock, according to the Virgin Islands Consortium.
Donovan jumped into the water and held the girl up to put a floating tube around her, and then Hamilton leaped into the water to fasten a rope around them both.
With the help of ship security officers, ship medical staff and port workers, the girl was pulled to safety just meters from the gangway near the ship bow, Cruise Hive reported. Video posted on social media shows the emotional aftermath as onlookers cheered.
I couldn’t think I just had to move Real quick I cannot stop thinking about the way she was looking I told myself I had to save her the water was deep And when I see the wheelchair going under the weight and the fight that she put on me I was in a tight situation I keep screaming saying I cannot hold on no more thanks to Dj Country he was right there in the water to help now she have another day to talk about this day🇻🇮💪ðŸ¿ðŸ™ðŸ¿
Posted by Randolph Donovan on Monday, August 12, 2019
On his Facebook page, Donovan described the dramatic incident, writing: "I couldn't think, I just had to move real quick. I cannot stop thinking about the way she was looking; I told myself I had to save her. The water was deep and when I [saw] the wheelchair going under, the weight and the fight that she put on me, I was in a tight situation. I [kept] screaming saying I cannot hold on no more."
He said that it was lucky that Hamilton "was right there in the water to help. Now she [has] another day to talk about this day."
Hamilton, who worked as a DJ on the boat, recounted the experience, writing on Facebook: "Thank God we all are safe and sound. The love that is coming is tremendous and I want to say thank you to each and everyone. [In a] situation like this, all you can do is act and hope for the best. Randolph Donovan, I'm glad that we did what we did and we are OK."
The pair's quick thinking was praised by the U.S. Virgin Islands Senator, Kurt Vialet, who said that he told the Senate about their actions.
In a Facebook post, Vialet wrote: "Everyday heroes with unassuming personalities live among us!..Hats off and kudos to Mr. Kashief General Kuntry Hamilton and Mr. Junior Donovan! Job well done and thank you for your willingness to assist with this duty today! I know that young lady's family is forever grateful and we as a people are proud of you! Again, thank you heroes!!!"
The Carnival Fascination was on a seven-day southern Caribbean cruise which took in St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados, according to Cruise Hive.
