(Daily Herald) PHILIPSBURG–The tourist whose lower right foot was severed by the blades of a water taxi propeller during a horrific accident on Tuesday, had jumped into the water and was swimming to the vessel when he was sucked under the back of the boat’s platform resulting in the mishap.
He did not fall between the boat and the pier while either exiting or embarking the vessel as was previously reported to this newspaper by police spokesperson Ethelwoldus Josepha on Tuesday.
A video of the incident shows the man, a passenger of the Ubersoca Cruise that had been visiting the island, swimming to the water taxi and when he attempted to climb onto the back of the boat he slipped off, was sucked under the boat, which led to screams by persons on the boat. He later emerged from under the boat and attempted to climb on to the boat again and was assisted up by a man. When the good Samaritan lifted the injured man, and saw the injuries to his feet, probably due to shock, he dropped him. The good Samaritan however, quickly regained his composure and lifted the man again onto the platform. Loud screams were heard coming from passengers and spectators when the man was lifted out of the water and it became evident that he had lost a part of his foot.
