South African man charged with manslaughter in VG boating incident
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) has charged a South African man with manslaughter following a boating incident that claimed the life of Captain Stephen Cross Jr.
The accident occurred near Saba Rock, Virgin Gorda, late on Friday, November 22, when a 21-foot rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) collided with a dinghy piloted by Cross Jr.
According to the RVIPF, 36-year-old Lesley Joubert, believed to be the captain of the RHIB, was charged with manslaughter. He was granted bail of $120,000 and is scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
Cross Jr., a 39-year-old native of St. Thomas, USVI, was transported to the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic and later transferred to the Dr. Orlando Smith Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
No other injuries were reported in the incident. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision are ongoing.
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