Two die in Virgin Gorda boating accident; captain in critical condition

Posted Jan. 24, 2015

Two people who have worked as yacht crew died in a boating accident near Virgin Gorda in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 24, and their captain was in critical condition, according to news reports and captains familiar with the event.

Kari Way and Howard Anderson, who are believed to have worked on the 130-foot Westport M/Y Resolute and recently worked at the owner’s resort on Virgin Gorda, were killed when the resort ferry they were passengers in hit a large rock en route to Oil Nut Bay resort. A photo on the Virgin Islands News Online shows the hard-hulled boat fully out of the water, perched on the rock.

Kari Way

Capt. Steve Fossi, who ran Resolute and is in charge of marine operations at Oil Nut Bay Resort and YCCS Marina, is in critical condition, according to captains familiar with the owner and news reports.

About 12 people were aboard the boat at about 4 a.m. when it crashed. All were recovered except Ms. Way, who was found later that morning. Mr. Anderson died at the scene and two others — including Capt. Fossi — were taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to a news story on VI News Online.

Rain and squalls were in the area at the time of the accident, about 4 a.m., according to news reports.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments are welcome.

Previous report Jan. 24, 2015

Two people who are believed to be yacht crew died in a boating accident near Virgin Gorda early this morning, according to news reports and captains familiar with the event.

Details are scarce, but a small boat apparently hit a large rock en route to Oil Nut Bay resort. A photo on the Virgin Islands News Online shows a hard-hulled boat fully out of the water, perched on the rock.

About 12 people were aboard and all were recovered except one woman, including one man who was killed, according to a news story on VI News Online. A yacht captain familiar with the incident said that man was a yacht engineer. The woman’s body was found later today; she was a stew, he said. It was unclear who the other passengers were.

The local news story indicated the people onboard were staff at the resort. According to the captain, the stew was staff at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club in Michigan last year and this was her first job on a yacht.

Rain and squalls were in the area at the time of the accident, about 4 a.m., according to news reports.