Rescue divers hailed as heroes after saving bus passengers

by Curlan Campbell, NOW Grenada 

• Divers responsible for rescuing several bus passengers are being called heroes
• Kavon Wickham, Financial Intelligence Unit police officer from was also involved
• Resident of White Gate, St John only fatality

Divers responsible for rescuing several passengers from a submerged bus said they did the best they could in an emergency.

Adriel Persue from Belmont, Carriacou, and Jake Edmond and Terron Hazel from Petite Martinique are being called heroes for their quick action on witnessing a Woburn-bound bus plunging into the Carenage across from Hubbard’s.

17-year-old Pursue was on his way across the Carenage when he saw the bus enter the water. He was the very first person to enter the water and helped save a toddler’s life. “I ran across and jumped in the water and I saw a baby floating there and I took him up…and it had a man fishing so I gave the baby to the man that was fishing then I heard someone scream that they were pregnant and then I went down and saw a pregnant lady and I pull her up,” said Pursue.

Pursue was ably assisted by Edmond and Hazel who were nearby and rushed to the rescue. Kavon Wickham, a police officer from the Financial Intelligence Unit was also involved in the rescue.

“We responded as soon as we can. When we got there, it didn’t have no one on the scene trying to save their lives, so me and my other friends get into the water as soon as possible and try to get people out of the bus, one by one making sure everybody was out safe and alive and we did the best we can,” said Edmond.

“We run straight down and when we got there everybody was in danger so we just had to assist them one time and get the people out and do what we have to do because we are all human beings,” said Hazel.

Police confirmed the death of 65-year-old Altrice DeCoteau, a resident of White Gate in St John who was in the bus. No other fatalities were reported.