MIAMI, Florida (17 Nov 2001) -- Families of three more victims of the Wave Dancer boating accident in Belize last month have filed wrongful-death lawsuits against the boat's owner and its captain. Lawyers representing the families of Cynthia and Charlie Pike of Midlothian and Raymond Mars of Scaggsville, Md., filed suits against Peter Hughes, the Wave Dancer's owner, and Capt. Philip Martin in Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County, Fla. The Pikes and Mars are three of 17 Richmond Dive Club members killed Oct. 8 when the strong winds of Hurricane Iris capsized the Wave Dancer off the coast of Belize. Three dive club members on that boat survived. Another boat with 10 members was tied to the Wave Dancer, but no one on that boat was killed. About a month ago, a lawsuit was filed by the family of one of three Wave Dancer crew members who died in the storm. That suit involves the death of Eloisa Johnson-Hall, the boat's assistant cook. Charlie Pike, 51, was a principal at Timmons, a Richmond-based engineering and surveying company. His wife, Cindy, 44, worked for Chesterfield Towne Center. They have two sons, Charlie and Joshua, and a daughter, Shenna Price. Mars, 52, joined the Richmond Dive Club a year ago after he met some members on a dive trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The suit was filed by his wife, Teresa Mars. They have one son, Ray Jr. The suits allege that Hughes, who owns Peter Hughes Diving Inc. and the Wave Dancer, and Martin "arrogantly and illegally ignored" government orders to evacuate the boat as Hurricane Iris blew into Belize, causing the deaths of 17 divers and three crew members. Hughes' company is based in Miami. | |
The Huggett & Watford law firm, based in Miami, is representing the Pike, Mars and Hall families. The suits also claim Martin did not ask the crew or passengers to put on life jackets or "assemble in a safe area" the night of the storm in case of emergency. Hughes declined to comment last month when the Hall suit was filed, except to say he was "breathless" and "shocked that anyone filed a lawsuit." © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
