Family of 3rd drowning victim upset about response of authorities
Bert Ramos
Another Ladyville resident drowned over the weekend; this time in Placencia. Forty-four year old Egbert Tillett and his family were on the Peninsula for a birthday party for his aunt on Sunday. According to relatives, Tillett had gone kayaking, but overturned. At first, his cousin thought he was playing a practical joke, but when Tillett did not resurface he sought help. But while they grieve his passing, Tillett’s family is upset because they believe his life could have been saved. They told News Five today that both the Coastguard and Police personnel on the scene handled the situation poorly.
Bert Ramos, Cousin of Egbert Tillett
“Di Coastguard come, no diving equipments. Dehn ask me weh deh eena di wata—I seh to dehn and I di show dehn dah right yah di man gone down, right yah di man gone down and dehn just di model up eena dis big pretty boat, ih have three nice engine pan it, look clean everything. I seh mein when yoh si wah boat di come, yoh si coastguard di come and dah emergency you di expect dat when dehn reach deh, dehn wah done equipped and just jump you know. Dehn just deh deh, weh pah we could borrow goggles, weh pah we could borrow tank. How unnu wah ask me? Me just come yah come enjoy myself, dah unnu fi got dat. And di man seh we noh got none ah dat we have to try get dat. While I di argue wid dem and have wah back and forth wid dem dehn come to di side and somebody seh dah wah dive shop dehn could get it so deh left and gone to di dive shop. Dat dah di time wah young man come and seh mein mek I go try. And he hold on to di back ah my dory and I paddle out to di same area and give ah more or less di area. di guy—mein we have to thank dah guy cause dah quick time di guy gone down and dive and when ih come up ih show me wah sign di seh stay right deh di man deh right down yah di sit-down. Dat dah when ih really touch me cause I seh if di Coastguard mi come like Coastguard den we could ah mi try save di man or so you know.”
Tamia Richards
Tamia Richards, Niece of Egbert Tillett
“It was terrible because the cops were just standing around and the nurse was like okay while I’m pumping, somebody give him mouth to mouth. They standing around like oh no, we don’t do that, we’re not trained and whatever. Nobody was willing to help besides these good Samaritans. The coastguard, the police no one. Then I’m from America so I’m like where’s the EMTs, where’s the emergency people that comes when something happens? They’re like we don’t have that here. Excuse me? What do you mean you don’t have that here?”
Phillipa Gentle
Phillipa Gentle
“At the end of the day, when I looked at my nephew lying on the beach and I saw my niece giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation and my other niece who is a nurse, Michelle, it hurts. And the cops are right there, did not even show any sympathy. When I kept saying to the cops what are you guys doing, they act as if though I was bothering them. This is your job! You need to know what to do, I don’t know. And I’m saying to them can’t you guys call the ambulance. I don’t know that Placencia doesn’t have an ambulance, I mean come on.”
Welcome to Belize we still they ina 1981 you seh nothing change nobody cares every man for themselves and we the build 2 million dolla fence how many ambulance can that buy ha ha what a joke am sorry for your lost it is a true tragedy WELCOME TO BELIZE nothing will change because they dont have accountability cant sue ,sue who ,who is in charge ,it a crying shame they dont want to change they like it like that you see
There is nothing to joke about my BABYFATHER lost his life all b/c these ppl are not property trained or have the required equipment to help someone in need. its a shame yes you are in the county & not in America but come on now it is 2013 have ur !@#$ up to part or dont have the beaches open until you do & if you want to joke around go on Def Comedy Jam this situation is serious & i am still struggling with the pain in my heart that he died in such a terrible way i love you my BABYDADDY
This is a crying shame we all find out a year later that Egbert A.K.A Magic has gone so soon from all our lives in Queens NY, we all knew him so well, we have missed having him around us with his jokes and crazy self doing crazy things to make you laugh, now my last child will never get to see or meet her uncle magic…he gave my son Lawrence a nick name Tubby Tubby…..Happy Birthday Egbert R.I.P.
I think that country or those people they call Coast Guard be brought up on charges for not helping out. they need to be sued for letting a young man drown and they could have done something they suppose to know CPR if they are coast guards….something is wrong with that picture.
This is sooo messed up I really knew this man I grow up calling him uncle magic when he was here in ny that’s what he went by I am like going crazy I still can’t believe it nd as far as the coastguard goes they all are trained in CPR everyone wanting to be coastguard has to be trained in CPR no matter where they are just for things like this I am very upset b/c they didn’t do nothing just stood there I am just now finding out about this but it has hit me real hard and I can’t take it . Happy birthday uncle magic and R.I.P we will be missed by so many ppl u have been there for we love u and now u can rest with momma
MAN This is sooo messed up I really knew this man I grow up calling him uncle magic when he was here in ny that’s what he went by I am like going crazy I still can’t believe it nd as far as the coastguard goes they all are trained in CPR everyone wanting to be coastguard has to be trained in CPR no matter where they are just for things like this I am very upset b/c they didn’t do nothing just stood there I am just now finding out about this but it has hit me real hard and I can’t take it . Happy birthday uncle magic and R.I.P we will be missed by so many ppl u have been there for we love u and now u can rest with momma
U will be missed but never forgotten