A moving message | Father of missing woman keeping hope alive
After an unsuccessful day of feverish searching for 33-year-old Kristal Black who disappeared at sea following a fatal boating accident off West End on Sunday, her father, John Black, said he is keeping hope alive.
In a moving post on Facebook at end-of-day on Monday, Mr Black touched the hearts of more than a thousand online users who read as he encouraged himself to be strong for his missing daughter who he prides as being a splitting image of himself.
“Tomorrow (Tuesday, October 4), with God’s grace and mercy, we will continue our most crucial search as it’s day-three and if a body is in the water, it will float. [But] I ain’t looking no bodies. I’m looking for my twin, aka Daddy’s Princess,” Mr Black posted.
He lauded the efforts of his family who managed to rally massive support towards the search effort. And in an emotional moment within his post, Mr Black imagined how his missing daughter would have been the one leading the charge for any search-and-rescue operation.
“If she was the boss, she would want me to tough it out and cry later. OK bossy, Daddy is in beast mode. The youngest to the oldest of your siblings are in beast mode. I know you are clinging on to these comforts. I love you, Krissy. My eyes are open wide shut,” he wrote.
Mr Black’s tear-jerking post did not neglect to acknowledge the persons and organisations — both locally and abroad — who have been involved in the search.
While describing the search effort and support as tremendous, Mr Black noted that the downed vessel in question was found submerged in about 120 to 140 feet of water.
“A seat was found at the entrance to Fungi Passage. That’s the first gap to go into St John. We had searchers, drones, boats, divers, a helicopter and a boat with a sonar on it. We give it our best shot. We found sandals and a food bowl off of Great Tobago heading west and an orange,” he stated.
“We had STT (St Thomas) teams and St John searching. My good right-hand from Santa Cruz went to St John to drone those shores facing us.
I won’t dare call names of the many who made the search possible but from where I sit, I would personally like to thank Lesmore Smith of Top Priority and his captain Nicky,” Mr Black added.
He continued: “I’m comforted with the support. If I cry, it’s from the love and support as well as what I’m going through.”
Police investigating how the boat capsized
Meanwhile, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) said it is still investigating the circumstances that led to the boat capsizing.
Initial police investigations indicate that while crossing the waters between Jost Van Dyke and West End around 7 pm Sunday night, the vessel in question overturned near Little Thatch causing all 10 of its occupants to be thrown overboard.
“Of the 10 occupants onboard, seven were taken to the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital. One of the seven, a six-year-old female, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Five are still being treated [and] one was discharged. A search party to include Marine Police, Virgin Islands Search and Rescue, and local mariners began immediately looking for the missing female. The U.S. Coast Guard and St. John Rescue also joined the search at sunrise this morning to the east and west of the site. Thus far, there has been no sighting of the missing female,” the RVIPF reported.
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My Heart is bleeding for the family of this young woman. Although I don’t know her, you don’t have to someone to feel the same hurt. It could have been my Daughter. My prayers are with the Black family and all the others involved. My Gut is telling me Water Island. idk. It’s a lil way out but I just have that feeling. I am praying to God for her safe return so that she may have another chance at life. In any event God’s will, will be done. Keep Faith alive.
Johnny boy yo need an underwater drone to assist at this time.
“hope for the best, get ready for the worst and accept what god sent”
Very touching sad sad sad
There is always something to be learned from a catastrophe. I genuinely hope this is true and that this tragedy won’t repeat itself.
I offer up my sincere prayers for the Black Family during this difficult time. The Lord hears our prayers, and He will bring Krissy back in the manner that only He can decide.
God bless our beloved BVI shores.
First off my condolence to the family of the missing and to the little one that lost her life. Young lives that are gone too soon but will never be forgotten.
But from what I reading, 10 people was on board and out of that 7 was taken to the hospital.
1 is currently missing at sea (and we all are praying that she is found safe and well)
however what happen to the other 2 persons that was on board. Are missing too or are they well and okay. And if they are well and okay why haven’t them explain what exactly happen that night to officials.
If they are okay and are withholding information on that night. I think they should be charge for obstruction. Also, I do hope that the captain in question for that was tested for alcohol usage.
Far to many local captains like to be drinking when they out on the ocean. It’s fine you feel the need to take risk with your lives but when you have passengers you should have self control and not drink any form of alcohol. The ocean is way too unpredictable to be messing with people lives.
Thus insurance prices for anything that’s affected by the sea is sky high
So the boat was piloting itself.. No mention of the boat owner nor its captain. Has he she or it been arrested and placed under the prison for manslaughter and other charges?
Was he drug tested
What is his version of his boat gone wild¿
Should we stay tuned for another BVI tall tale about another one get away after being unidentified and given the opportunity with assist to become pretend escapee??
Was the captain reckless? …
Little Curious, you may be right in your logic and likely outcomes. But first give the families and loved ones their rightful closures and the right to their last straw of hope despite the odds of time against them. Have faith right down to the last second until the beacon of hope has extinguished. As for legal proceddings, let the law run its course and until closure and reality has been accepted lets be hopeful, optimistic and respectful at this time.