By NEWSDAY REPORTER Wednesday, August 19 2009

click on pic to zoom in

The unregistered 28-foot pirogue which ploughed into the kayak over the weekend. ...

« prev photo next photo »

POLICE have not yet released the identity of the soldier nor indicated if he faces a criminal charge after an unregistered 28-foot pirogue, which he was steering, ploughed into a kayak and seriously injured two American citizens and their Trinidad relative in Chaguaramas over the weekend.

Officers at the Carenage Police Station yesterday claimed the policeman assigned to investigate the case, PC Hannibal, was not at work having worked the night-shift on Monday. Efforts to reach acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert for a status report also proved futile. It is not even known if the soldier remains on active duty or was sent on leave, pending investigations. Who owns the pirogue, why was it being operated on the high seas when it was not registered and was the boat being used for business or pleasure, are also other questions yet to be answered.

However, police sources confirmed that the pirogue and its 200HP (horsepower) outboard engine remains impounded at Coast Guard headquarters in Staubles Bay.

American citizens Raquel Welch, 40, and her 13-year-old daughter Paige, remain warded at Medical Associates in St Joseph and are being monitored around the clock by doctors and nurses, especially Paige who underwent emergency surgery hours after the boating mishap on Sunday to reattach her left arm.

A relative yesterday confirmed that Welch had not lost her limb as was reported. The relative, Lee Aqui, refused to comment on the condition of Paige and her mother Racquel, but confirmed that doctors were still waiting to see if the surgery was successful.

Mother and daughter, who are both from New England in the USA, were paddling in a kayak with their Trini relative Lance Aqui, 23, (Raquel’s nephew) sitting on the bow, when the pirogue which was going at a high speed and which was manned by the soldier, ploughed into the kayak, splitting it into two and throwing the three in the water.

Welch’s husband Clarke, who arrived in Trinidad on Monday, said he was angry and hurt over the erroneous reporting of some newspapers and television news that his daughter had lost her arm. Newsday correctly reported that Paige underwent surgery in which the arm which was connected to her body by strands of flesh, was successfully reattached but that she faces the grim possibility of losing the limb if her body rejects it.

“Your country has mistreated my wife and daughter very badly, sir,” Welch said in a brief interview. Commenting on the inaccurate news reports, Welch said: “This has caused stress to my wife and family.”