Police in Dominica say they are conducting investigations into the “sudden death” of 68-year-old US national Jim Caves of California who arrived on the island on the cruise liner Vision of the Seas on Wednesday morning.
“Caves along with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and a few other passengers went with a Anchorage Dive boat to Champagne to snorkel and while in the water complained of feeling unwell,” Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Dominica ASP Cuffy Williams said.
Caves’ daughter, Kelly Waugh, who was present during the incident said her father was in the water with a guide.
She said while in the water, she noticed her father, who was about 100 yards from the boat, had begun to have difficulty in swimming and she immediately alerted the guide.
Caves was taken from the water and while on the boat appeared to be losing consciousness.
The ambulance was called and on the way to the Princess Margaret Hospital it was noticed that he was becoming unresponsive.
On arrival at the hospital Caves was pronounced dead by a medical practitioner.
A coroner’s inquest will be convened to be followed by a post mortem examination, the police said.
Stakeholders of the Tourism Industry including the Ministry of Tourism were on hand to meet and comfort the grieving family.
Tour guides need to be trained in basic life support and hotels need to have AEDs. This is getting rediculous. What is this? See Dominica and die?
Too much Obeah in Dominica!
at this time i am only expecting to see condolenses to the families of the deceased. dominica have too many doctors , lawyers, police and detectives. deepest condolence to the family of this man. i pray that your wife and those left to mourn are getting all the help they need from whom ever this may concern. please do not speculate my good people. complements of the season.
Excellent Piece American Visitor! Well said !. Discover Dominica Authority and the Minister of Tourism should reaally take note. One dead man will not hinder folks from visiting Dominica, the country needs to do more to bring in the tourists. Again, I say, well said. They should put your comment on the front page on The Chronicle/ The Sun.
American Visitor, I am Dominican, and support your your pointers 100%. It is about time our people take note of their behaviour before targeting other people. An American, or foreigner might be the one who help a member of our family where-ever they may be. So please stop the negative attitude, and start thinking about others and in this case, the people who are suffering for their loved one, in a strange country before Christmas. God Bless!
That was not written by no american visitor I am sure of that. Maybe a Dominican living in America.
Even its not a american who wrote that, but IT IS THE TRUTH, well say
You are very correct. “and the least can go on” this is a Dominican term. Just one of the many examples of Dominican language usage found all throughout the essay.
My deepest sympathies go out to the wife, daughter, son-in-law and other family and friends who may have been travelling with Mr Jim Caves. I can only imagine the sorrow you all must be feeling. These are not the memories we expect when we go on vacation. I just want you to know that we surround you with love and we pray that you will come out of this ordeal focusing on the good memories and love you experienced as a family during what you now know were his last days. May God bless you.
I am the son in law of Jim Caves who died in a drowning accident in Dominca on the 19th. I am not the son in law that was on scene, but I do know all of the facts. The whole family is back here in California except my brother in law who is still trying to get my father released from the red tape of the government.
However, I must say that the people of Dominica are very great people. The hotel staff have gone way beyond their business duties and reached into their hearts and have shown great care for my brother in law. He will be flying home tomorrow, unfortunately we have to leave my father in law there until the next friday. Again, just a bunch of government bureaucracy.
Please know that this was a simple accident. Jim may have been 68 years old but he was the picture of health. He simply somehow breathed in ocean water, and simply put even a small amount can be fatal. Please don’t blame the island or the people. We are still grieving deeply, but out hearts are somewhat warmed by the love the people showed to our family. Our family has purposed to return and vacation in the Dominica again. Thank You from all of us, and for the love we felt from you, we will always be thankful.
The family of Jim Caves
We love your family and mourn the loss of Jim. Praying for you all.
Sorry to hear of his passing. He was a tourist. Consider how hectic and exciting too it must have been for him when he left his home to go on the trip, while on the trip, probably having fun and with very little sleep. He may have had a health problem or developed one prior to the time he fell ill. These things happen and could happen to anyone, at anytime. It could have occurred on the cruise ship and also while he was asleep.
I feel sorry for his wife and children who are mourning his sudden passing. I extend my sympathy to them. May God console them. May his soul rest in peace.
Reminds me of the Robyn Gardner in case Aruba. Sounds very suspicious.. Hope the authorities carry out a thorough investigation..
GTFO
What sounds suspicious about it? Did we read the same story?
The man maybe just got a heart attack
listen to the american visitor. think my people we have work to do. alot of work.
may God be with us.
my sympathy goes out 2 this family.
Boy D.A. have MALEH.
May have nothing to do with DA.The country does not have MALEH. He may have been sick and could of well died on the boat or at another island.Sometime people take vacation to spend their last days with family.We may not know but people die on ships all the time. May he RIP
1. Poor air access, your airport may be upgraded but we still cannot get a direct flight out of north america or europe. American Eagle is bankrupt and may have to stop operations here soon and LIAT does not have the passenger capacity to keep arrivals up
2. The hotel sector is very poorly developed. There are some nice properties here and there but the average property is too poorly maintained and the customer service in many cases is very poor
3. Night life is wanting, very limited places to go, not enough choices or varieties of activities, and as for dining, you guys should be worrying about potential for food poisoning, since some of the foods on display is out since in the morning and still served to customers at night even though its not either properly kept hot or chilled as the case may be
4. Shopping is a disaster, unless you have improved shopping facilities, proper displays, quality merchandise, duty free shopping, Dominica will never realize the true benefits from the economic opportunity shopping has, and that is true especially for locally made handicraft. Too much chines junk on sale in Dominica. Do you want to be called the junk yard for poor quality chinese merchandize…SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
5. You have great natural tourist attractions but you have not properly developed or maintained these sites, yet you collect such high fees to visit, and at some of these sites you feel disturbly unsafe… even though this may not be the case everywhere.Some of the trails are deteriorated and there is garbage everywhere and signage is very poor, toilet facilities don’t work in many places, information and security officers lack adquate destination knowledge.
6. And OMG… the harassment at the ports of entry and on the streets of Roseau is just not accepptable. the rude behaviour of some store clerks, the callousness of some street vendors, the poor nature of street side walks and the least can go on…
7. There is still the preception that Dominica has no beaches but maybe this is said rightfully because most of the beaches are unkept, except the one at Castaways but there is a waste waterline from the public convenience that flows into the sea and on both ends of the beach are two very unkept ravines or should i call these rivers or gutters
8. there is the lack of adequate and effective marketing of the destination and i was told by some tourism stakeholders that the Minister always looks drunk and frequents the make shift spanish brothels in Roseau and as for the Staff at the Discover Dominica, when they go on overseas promotional trips its really to shop for themselves and their friends…
9. The cruise ship facilities i have been told by a member of the Port Authority Council is in dire need of repair and upgrading but the Chairman of the tourism sector say fix or no fix tourists will still come. It is no wonder we have been seeing declines in both the stay over and cruise tourism sectors, and we no longer hear about day trippers or excursionists because their numbers have dwindled so much it makes no sense count them except during the World Creole Music Festival, which i understood is the brain child of the past United Workers Party (UWP)Government
10. The yachting sector is calling for a marina, yet no moves are being made to construct one in one of the most scenic harbours i have come across in the Caribbean – the Prince Rupert Bay
I can go on but… I wll leave the rest for you Dominicans to ponder on, unless you want to continue to depend on Hugo Chavez for handout… which is quickly running out and be warned we Americans want him… it is our tourists who fill your hotel rooms not the Venezuelans, Cubans, or Chinese and yet many of you continue to criticize America… i am still baffled by that, you want to have your cake and still eat it…
hey whoever you are thanks for the pointers.and i hope the authorities take note.
So you really expect people to read this?
I read it and whether you want to take it or not, this person gave us alot to think about and go back to the drawing board, he/she is right on Q. Thanks for your comments. I sincerely hope that someone within the torism sector with some clout will take corrective measures.
I read it with patience and without criticizing it. It is interesting, educating/ enlightening from the view of an American visitor, the latter I hope.
Patience is a godly virtue, a gift of the Holy Spirit. You are in dire need of it. Pray to God for patience without which you could never enter his glorious Kingdom.
Reading is an education in itself. Therefore, remember this whenever the writing is long. You may learn something worthwhile. Consider the amount of time you spend on the computer and on other matters. What is wrong with reading a comment which may make you wise and assist Dominica?
I did!!!!! your point is????
I did
I thought you were a visitor.The word we in one of your paragraphs blew your cover. Try again
You should not return to Dominica. Dominica is much more than night life, shopping malls, and all the other points that you had. I don’t think you are a positive person even if you tried to be. Dominica is one of kind. There is no other island like Dominica and there will never be one like Dominica. Please don’t come back
You covered it all.
you sure bet. I rate your coment 100%.doninca is way bhind time.have to many land and natural stuff waisted.we need bigger hotels a international airport in a safty zone need an international hospital more foriegn investors preferbly usa/canada/france/duty free shopping biger shoping malls roeou need to b refurbish .am living outside off da.when i come back 4 holidays the town still has those small road old building .our market need to to a make over st.lucia is a few min. awy the d island is so beautiful .and for dis year over 55 award in all what st.lucia been promoting so big up authorties .cause when you out there the anthem is dominica poor.slow and hard oh there is know place to do bussiness.that why you c da people having it good in other people island
I need to save this post from American Visitor. It sound like a Dominican visitor but its great vibes, Ministry of Tourism should take note.
Very good observations hope those concerned will read this it is really shameful the deplorable state of this beautiful island which has so much to offer. This is a little bit lengthy but it is well worth reading.
This is no American Visitor – this is a Dominican
yah, just a dominican who’s been overseas for ever and ever, so s/he don’t understand that geographically, space is at a premium in Dominica. But still and all, the upgrading of the Port facilities and the lack of night-life entertainment was right on target.
so what?
I have to say I agree with this very well written e mail from American Visitor. Dominica is dying where tourism is concerned! I have to go back to the fact that us Dominicans are as the saying goes crabs in a barrel. Small minded, only concerned with their own survival, jealous of others who do well! Very blinkered in their outlook. No thought for the future generations. Dominica has so much going for it as the nature island but lacks motivation from it’s Citizens. It is sad to think that the American visitor has heard that the Minister for tourism has an alcohol problem and frequents brothels!!!! The Minister must be mortified if he has read this!! What on earth is to be done to improve Dominica!
Good point. I am living in america for a number of years , and to tell u the truth, i am ashame to take anyone there. The country has lost its value because of all the nonsense going on. It is a shame….
That’s quite instructive but you ain’t no American Tourist.
Even though I doubt that you are really a visitor (you know way too much and write like a local), I support your comment, you made some really pertinent points.
I had to return to the article since my friend called me upp and told me to check out number of comments my comments generated.
First of all, without any doubt, I am an AMERICAN, and a well learned one to. I am a very knowledgeable independent traveller and well travelled throughout the region, the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. I am also a Ph.D student at the George Washington University and an accomplished commnicator… it doesn’t take me very long to learn about a country… and in the context of this small island developing state, i have learned alot including learning your local creole language/ patois. I traversed the entire island and lived with independent families and at some hotels. My research work allowed me to gather a significant amount of data and other materials on the island.
I find that when Dominicans, especially those in authority, do not know who you are, they treat you with scorn. one person at the financial building in Roseau was very helpful though. But most of the information I gathered came from the man on the street and from my own observations, reading your weekend papers, online research… Those of you who believe that I am a Dominican are free to do so… I love Dominica and could make it a second home in the future but the truth is the truth and the truth offends. I heard about the Minister of Tourism while visiting his city of Portsmouth. A few men were in a heated discussion about the issue of corrption and the impropriety of some of the politicians and what caught my attention was the points made by a young man about the minister of tourism. This is not unique to Dominica as in many Caribbean islands and more developed countries as well, politicians tend to feel that they have become infallible or immune to constructive criticism… i am sure there are others like him in the government and the opposition too. this is a reality we have to live with everywhere human beings assembly…
There are some good things happening to like efforts to develop sustainable geothermal energy, improvements to some of the islands roadways, you also have an excellent telecommunications system here…
but the bottom line is Dominica is not very competitive in many of the economic activities people are engaged in here, and the one activity that can give a major boost to YOUR island, I think the Government does not have a effective enough policy and strategy to take it forward.
With that being said, i am making myself available at no cost to the country to develop a Sustainable Policy and Strategy for the island. This will form part of my thesis for my PhD… ofcourse, I will write to the government formally and await a response…
And yes i do have friends here both in the government and the opposition… so although I am an AMERICAN should I say that i qualify as a unofficial DOMINICAN… like you folks say “who vex…burst”
Your Comments are loaded with many spelling errors. And you claim to be a Ph.D candidate?
Examples: descending by paragraphs:
Paragraphs 1: “upp”; “to” instead of too:
Paragraph 2: “alot”
Paragraph 4: “to” instead of too.
Paragraph 5: starts sentence with a common letter:”but.”
Paragraph:6: run on Sentence. “ofcourse” is not a word.
I hope you get your AMERICAN Ph.D. But I hope even more that the Political Leadership in Dominica neither read your Thesis nor give you an audience.
You come across as ARROGANT. Learn the English Language!
Great English for a Ph.D candidate!
What is wrong with criticizing America? To criticize America does not mean that one is “anti-American.” Only a narrow-minded person would think so. Americans evaluate their nation all the time. Are they “traitors”?
You have made observations, opinions which no sane Dominican would view as “anti-Dominican.”
And again–please PROOFREAD your comments.Your spelling errors and run-on sentences above turn off the enlightened reader.
this is the internet girl, you want the man… then ask him to come back dominica nah… it do matter the spelling errors… the point is the man make his point and it hit u in the head…lol
Your English is AWFUL: the spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, lack of use of mechanics is appalling for a Doctoral student!
Good ideas which come across as typical Yankee condescension: as though “Americans know best.”
Ugly American who knows it all!
Your Comments are “Anti-Dominican.”
My sympathy goes out to the family
Whats wrong with you people fortunately it was not a accident the article said he was not feeling well while in the water you all do not know the man state of health .he could have died of natural causes if he died of natural causes how is it Dominica fault come on people think twice
Hello Dominica. Well am sadden by the death of this visitor to our shores and may his soul rest in peace. Now I think the Tourism Minister office should produce an Instructional Video and make it mandatory that all tour groups must show this video to their clients before they participate in any swimming or hiking activity. We must remember that most of the visitors on the cruise ship are not in good physical shape so maybe the activities are to demanding for them. I also think that Mr Caves probably went into cardiac arrest which caused him to drown. The medical examiner will perform an autopsy which will give us the cause of death but so far we know he was not a crime victim on our shores. Again my condolence go out the The family.
I’m out there promoting DOMINICA to patients family and friends a few of them have been on cruises with a stop in DOMINICA if this keep happening so many fatal accidents it is going to affect the tourist industry the goverment needs to act on keeping these people safe Anchorage again they need to be shut down for a while and restucture their business
Rasta you make sence. Close what The man dead have nothing to do with what you claiming poor you
You do not make sense. It is a narrow-minded outlook and statement.
It is a coincidence that he died after the Canadian man got drowned. This occurs all over the world. Do you not hear about them? In recent years a few Dominicans who reside abroad visited DA and they died. Should those who reside abroad fear and not visit DA? What will you say about that?
Are you aware of how many Dominicans of all, young and old who died in Canada in the past few years? Should the other Dominicans leave Canada due to this? Or if visitors died in other countries, should others refrain from visiting there?
None of the deaths in Dominica are related and both may have died of different causes. Cease your concern and worry. It will not affect Dominica.
What is happening, in are me country. Lard help ah we, oh Gad oh! too much now oohhhhh! Foreigners ah dead oh. Mercy Lard Mercy!
As serious as this matter is, some of you make me laugh with your silly and senseless comments.
One would think that Dominica is the only place where visitors die.
My God! We Dominicans dont read. The man did not drown. He was not in the water without a guide. He complained of not feeling wel, “and was assisted..”. Wha happn to allu? Geez!
SEEMS EVERY WEEK STRSNGERZ ARE DYING IN D/CA.HMM WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT .SMH THAT’S SO SAD CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY
Unfortunate incident. I wish the family well. Condolences and I hope everything was handled and will be continued to handle in a way to give them the most ease to deal with that situation. I’m sure Dominicans will be more than willing to bring out their caring ways in such circumstances
I am so sorry to hear all that bad news. Sorry for our tourism industry. Watch out DA..Again with anchourage boat
Watch out for yourself. Do you know how long you will live, what will happen to you and how in the future or in a twinkling of an eye?
The guy could have had heart failure…could happen to anyone , anywhere and at anytime
well said. The guy did not drown, he obviously had few health problems and swimming in these waters probably put a strain on his heart. Please people, be careful what you are saying. people around the world are reading these comments. be Smart.
Admin….Is there a way you can report something so that alot of folks will be able to read and digest before posting their comments on here? I’ve read the post of someone complaining of feeling sick whilst snorkeling…was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead by a medical doctor. I read and reread but never once saw anything pertaining to drowning.
People are so quick to blast but they need to read first man. Come on, are some of our brain cells that dry?
This is their fault and has nothing to do with DNO Admin. They must take their time to read the article.
They need to drink their codliver.
Why is CID involved? A 68 year complained of not feeling well and DIED. That happens all the time. It just so happens that he was in Dominica when it happened, Dominica did not kill him.My God why are we so quick to bring down our country? Stop it we are only hurting ourselves. So many 68 year old death announcement I seeing and hearing how come CID not investigating their deaths? Alas poor us.
So who should conduct the investigation to find out how he died? How do we know that there was no foul play involved? He could have been poisoned or something… We are all aware of insurance plots to collect life insurance…
Investigate… inquest / autopsy to prove that Dominica did not play any part in his death… maybe the swimming activity was too strenuous for his heart/ age/ health…
Stop talking … start reading and educate yourselves
Sympathies to this visitor’s family… that’s the most many of us should be saying…. Stuppes!!!!
@ Wesley: Any sudden death, or death of an individual within less than 24 hours of being admitted to the hospital automatically becomes a police case and a coroner’s inquest has to be carried out. The family has no say and no right to hande the body until that is done So its just standard procedure.
On another note, my condolences to the family and friends of the victim.
It is unfortunate we have had so many untimely deaths to foreigners in Dominica.We need to pray now, more then ever.I can remember a certain gentleman who walked around the ministerial building nine times,asking us, especilly the Ministers of Government to mend their wsys,it would appear that things have gotten worse.Maybe ,I wish to emphasize maybe, it is the beginning of things to come in 2013.God help us.
history get your act straight i never say is Dominica alone that making the headline am concern about my country my home land not America yes am sorry for the children but right now my concern is what my country is getting too
They need to start warning them tourists seriously, when tthey go diving and hiking on our trails. Make it Mandatory that these people always have guides with them. Cuz too many tourists are dying in Dominica, be it whilst snorkelling or hiking. we need to legislate this before these deaths kill our Tourist industry!
We have a tourist industry
? That’s news to me. All I know is, you can’t lose what you don’t have.
Did you read before commenting…..donkey?
The person read but have no understanding
Legislate what? Did it occur to you that the man may have died of a heart attach? You want the government to legislate against heart attacks too?
the problem is that, this people havn,t had a swiming exercise for may be a year and just get of the ship and decide to go diveing the same thing is happening in the vi , they are having heart attacks. it has nothing to do with dive instrutors in dominica.its like getting up one morning and decide to run 10 miles with no prior training you will fall the same way.
Stop being a jack, seems you do not know anything about the tourist industry and apart from that, are the guides doctors, if the person is sick what can the guide do to prevent them from dying. Too many people make comments on DNO and the do not know what the hell they’re saying.
shut yuh dam mouth with yuh stupid comment
What is wrong with you?
Yesa Papa… dem foreign Nationls dere
send they send them man
and it was pronounce dead i thought is a human being and not a thing.
Where did you see that, IDIOT!!!
Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
dominicans wake up from your slumber.
My condolences to the family. But why are there so many tourist dying in Dominica waters? Are they not being warn of. The tropical water. Them waters are rough. And when you. Go swimming. They become rough on you . PlZ Dominica tourist board inform the tourist because our name of our country will soon be. Public with bad. New. And the tourist industries will not want to visit again. Warn them of the danger of our waters we love Dominica
CURSED OR VOODOO JUST A THOUGHT
Good ? Reprecautions on its way.
so very sad sympathy to his family.
i sympathise with the management and staff of Anchorage Hotel and Dive Center for yet another tragedy.
a joke that man? another drowning again? That’s something else we boy
Cayman Islands Premier removed from office in no-confidence motion
“DNO has not been able to obtain information about the cause of death” and yet still your comment says “drowning”. “the man was snorkeling in the Champagne area, prior to his death”. Do you even know the meaning of PRIOR?
where in the post did you see the word ‘
drown?’ did you take time to read?
awa nah pal . too many drownings in few days maybe we do have a mama-glo under our waters . authorities need to investigate .
wow! i haven’t heard that term ‘mama-glo’ for years. what a blast from the past!
When I say tally the amount of accidents thumbs me down still! JAH 2012 IS ALLU YEAR!
I am saddened to hear of the passing of a foreign nation on our shores. May God comfort his family and friends through this difficult time.
papa mi gawd
God is in control. R.I.P dear…
…. we really need life guards in that country… these foreigners can’t swim… or swim with good skill… so many deaths by drowning occurs in the u.s.a every year….
They should be asked if they can swim. If they can’t swim, then warn them about not venturing out into the deep sea. If it is known that the area has a swift and dangerous undercurrent, they should also be informed about it and to be cautious.
so many people dying at sea
It is not abnormal elsewhere in the world.
ENCORE!!! Sa-Quay-Ton-Eh!!!
yes i, so now adays foreigners jus dying d/a, hmmmm. hope that doesnt affect our tourism industry. smh
you are not the only one sharing that same feeling. I am there reading this news and at the same time trying to calculate the actual total we had in less than three months starting with that your boy, the young lady the man just recently and this one if am not leaving out any. Thats so sad and bad for our country. It is easier to deal with that way instead of a stabbing or murder here and there but at the same time is in our country it happen and people will always day things, as far as they know is in Dominica it take place. We need to pray for our country for this new year to come back on the straight way we are taking to much of a big bend if you ask me, is like Dominica always making headline news these days. I would really like to see the headline on some newspaper in the other countries.
MAY THE GOD LORD LAY HIS HEALING HANDS ON YOU DOMINICA.
CORRECTION SAY INSTEAD OF DAY
don’t you worry America just make the biggest headlines news all thoses poor babies they kill what happen you sleeping on you,or DNO news alone you watching lol.
Our Lord Jesus Christ would not look at it that way. You should know what He said, “Death comes like a thief in the night…”
Some of you act as if such should never happen in Dominica. Other than Dominica, when it happens in a progressive country or elsewhere in the world what should those nationals say? For one, they as I would say: “How sad. Such is life” or “That’s life.” People live and people die. Their number is up. I hope God had mercy on their souls. May their souls rest in peace.
sorry
WAT??!?! Another one?!
omg crazy.
Wow,,,,,another one again? Only last week, they were talking about these tragic tourist related events and another one is here again. So sorry.
Sorry to hear that. Again I sympathise with management and staff of anchorage and the family of the victim.
hmm…bo that sumting else
hmmmmmmm……. What number are we on now?…… For the past couple of months, that’s all we seem to be hearing. Foreign nationals being picked up dead at our attraction sites…….. hmmmmmmm….. So sad
Dominique if you can’t make a positive contribution why don’t you just shut up. Death is part of living, no one killed him, his family was right there, a guide was in the water, READ People. Why can’t you guys just stop the negativity. Y don’t you try to run away from your own death when it comes.
STUPES man!!!!
R.I.P…………. so so sad, whats happening why so many fatal accidents in a short time