By INDARJIT SEURAJ Thursday, August 20 2009

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INVESTIGATOR LEAVES: Acting Corporal Hannibal leaves the Medical Associates private hospital yesterday, after interviewing the victims of Sunday's boa...

Little Paige Welch, the 13-year-old United States citizen whose hand was almost severed during a boating accident on the high seas, last Sunday, reportedly flew home late Tuesday night.

Relatives continued to remain tight-lipped, but Newsday understands relatives together with the US Embassy made arrangements to have her board a flight bound for the US.

She was taken back to the US by her father Clarke Welch, just three days after undergoing surgery at the private hospital to re-attach her left hand.

Welch had expressed his dissatisfaction with several other media houses over inaccurate reports that his daughter’s hand could not be saved after the incident.

Paige’s mother, Raquel, meanwhile, remained hospitalised at the Medical Associates private hospital in St Joseph, and had not been given doctors’ approval to leave because of the seriousness of her injuries.

Raquel, 40, and her daughter, of New England, USA, and Raquel’s nephew Lance Aqui, were seriously injured on Sunday during a kayaking expedition in Chaguaramas.

Lance Aqui, 23, of Christina Gardens, Arima, was perched on the bow of his kayak, while giving instructions to his relatives.

He also remained warded at the institution, nursing serious injuries to his ankle.

Meantime, Acting Detective Corporal Hannibal, who has been detailed to investigate the incident, again visited the victims at the St Joseph Hospital. He had previously taken statements from the injured, but returned yesterday to continue his investigation.

Hannibal, who is assigned to the Carenage Police Station, said he did not wish to comment on the investigation, explaining that it had reached a “sensitive stage.”

In a phone interview yesterday, Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert said there was a lot of pieces to the investigation, with the Coast Guard and Harbour Master also having roles.

And while the Defence Force has remained mum on the driver of the pirogue, one source yesterday confirmed that the Army Private was traumatised over the incident.

It is reported that the officer was steering the 28-foot pirogue Andelle and on reaching close to Scotland Bay, collided with the two-man kayak, carrying the three victims.

With its 200-horse power engine, the pirogue reportedly struck the port (left) side of the kayak, sending the Welches and Lance into the water.

The hull of the boat reportedly ripped the tiny kayak in half, with the engine propeller believed to have done most of the damage to the victims.

Enquiries are continuing.