Body of Harbour Island Boat Captain Recovered - Passengers Survive Sea Tragedy in North Eleuthera.

26-year-old Terrance Cleare of Coconut Grove Avenue, Harbour Island, drowned after the 17' Boston Whaler he was piloting, with 13 passengers on board, capsized in the South Bar area, off Harbour Island. Reportedly the private boat was taking a group from a beach at Bottom Harbour in North Eleuthera back to Harbour Island when the incident occurred.

Police received a report of the tragic occurrence at around 10:15pm on Sunday May 10th, when a young man who had been a passenger on the boat, contacted them letting them know of the incident and that there were persons still in the water. Investigating officers were alerted to the area by a white signaling light and observed the upside down boat with a number of persons swimming nearby and on a reef. With the assistance of local volunteers, Police were able to rescue those persons who were then taken to the Harbour Island Clinic where they were treated and released.

Tragically the Captain was not among the rescued and the search for him continued on Monday morning by a team of officers assisted by members of the community. At around 8:30 am, the body of Mr. Cleare was discovered some 150ft off the southern tip of Harbour Island submerged in 15ft of water. He was later transported to New Providence for an autopsy. He would have celebrated his 27th birthday on the 27th of May 2009.