Fishermen recall horror shark attack

Despite their years of experience in deep sea fishing, nothing could have prepared Christopher 'Belle' Forrester and Keniel 'Redman' Watson for the shark attack that claimed the life of their friend last Saturday.

The attack, that took place off the coast of Little Bay, Little London, Westmoreland, claimed the life of 53-year-old Donovan 'Doggie' Haywood, whose arm was also severed by the shark.

"Never inna my life, mi ever si something like this. Mi only si dem things yah inna movie," said Watson, who was Haywood's close friend. "Belle turn to mi an seh 'See shark a attack one a di man dem deh suh'. Mi drive go dung deh an go suh boom, fi tek up on a di man dem closest to di boat. But when mi hear the other man shout out and see pure blood inna di water, mi lef dis man an' drive go towards di other man."

A fight mi haffe fight di shark

Watson said that the shark was "vicious". "All wen mi hol' on pon Doggie an a try pull him over inna di boat, the shark still lock on pon him tight," he said. "Every pull mi pull him, the shark pull him back. Is after Belle think fast and shoot him inna him head (with a spear), him kinda easy off. A fight mi haffe fight di shark fi get weh Doggie from him, because all when mi hold on pon dis yah hand yah so, him still heng on pon him same way, until him finally leggo."

Forrester said if he had not shot the shark, the large fish would have swam away with Haywood. Watson said that after prying Haywood free, all the divers had their fish guns loaded, and wanted to attack the shark. But Haywood's blood limited their visibility in the water. They said the shark swam away with the spear still in its head.

Both Forrester and Watson hail from the community of Russia in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland. That's the community from which they departed with 10 other fishermen, including Haywood, to go fishing on the fateful day. Haywood, who hails from Grange Hill community also in Westmoreland, was living at Darling Street in Savanna-la-Mar.

Clive Campbell, main captain of the 18-foot boat in which the men went to sea, told THE STAR that despite social media reports, the shark has not been caught.

"Mi fada show di video weh mi see dem have a circulate pon Facebook bout dem kill di shark. Nutting don't go suh, and further more that deh shark a baby compare to di one wha kill Doggie," he stated. Campbell, who was lying down inside his house in Russia, said that ever since the incident he has been unable to eat or sleep, and he has constant headaches.