Two drown at Keys beach

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Published on Sunday, 09 September 2012 16:19

Written by Toni Frederick

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Keys, St. Kitts (WINN):  An elderly man drowned Sunday morning trying to save the life of a young member of his family at Keys Beach.   

Reports indicate that Adolphus Stevens, who was in his late 70’s, got into difficulty while trying to save eight year old Ni Quan Liburd just before 11:00 o’clock Sunday morning.  

Mr.  Stevens’ body was brought to shore at Keys.  According to eyewitnesses two Ross University students assisted in the recovery of his body.

Sunday afternoon coast guard divers were still searching for  Ni Quan.

Family members told WINN FM that Mr.  Stevens, originally from the Keys area but who lives in Monkey Hill, had a Sunday ritual of taking the younger members of his family to the beach after he attended service at the nearby Keys Moravian Church.  

WINN FM understands that a young female relative also went into the sea to try to help and also got into difficulty, while some of the other children ran up the hillside to call for help.

A neighbour of Mr.  Stevens’ family who is a spear-fisherman raced to assist, and rescued the girl who was taken to the hospital and is believed to be in stable condition.  Mr.  Stevens did not survive and young  Ni Quan was swept away by the strong current.

The coast guard, who arrived on the scene shortly after 11:00, dispatched two divers into the sea.  

When WINN FM arrived on the scene early Sunday afternoon they had searched the outer edges of the reef that runs parallel to the coast, and were in the Canada Estate area diving the reef and the inner area closer to shore, moving in the direction of the current towards Conaree.

They were expecting to continue the search until nightfall.

Coast guard personnel on shore were particularly somber Sunday afternoon.   Ni Quan's mother is herself a member of the Coast Guard and was on duty when the call came in that her son may have perished.  She journeyed with the first responders to the beach, but becoming extremely distressed, and complaining of chest pains, she was taken away to the hospital by the EMS.  Her condition was not known on Sunday afternoon.

UPDATE (4:25 p.m.):  The body of Ni Quan Liburd was recovered just off the coast of Keys Beach by a Defense Force diver and a fisherman who had joined the search.

UPDATE (September 10th, 7:00 a.m.):  WINN FM understands that Ni Quan's mother was examined and released from the JNF Hospital on Sunday.

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