Details of double-drowning at Devil’s Bridge released, as plans are made to fly widower and the bodies of his relatives home  

As the Government offers assistance to the family of the Canadian
woman and her son who drowned at Devil’s Bridge last Thursday,
November 30, more information has emerged about the incident.
 
Sources tell REAL News that the 37-year-old woman, Mohini Misna,
and her five-year-old son, Shray Misna, were struck by a wave while
on the bridge area of the popular tourist attraction.

Reportedly, the child had bent down to pick up something when the
wave came up and struck them, resulting in the child, who was
behind his mother, running towards her and grabbing hold of her
leg. Allegedly they then fell over into the treacherous water.
 
It is also alleged that the woman’s husband, Satwick Misna, 38, who
was standing at a distance watching them, immediately ran towards
his family in an effort to help.
 
Reportedly, he lay on his stomach in order to reach his wife’s hand,
as she cried out for help for herself and their son. Reports say he
tried in earnest to pull her to safety, but eventually lost his grip on
her hand, and she went under the water.
 
Misna then sought assistance from a couple who were guests at
Verandah. Allegedly being unable to swim, he then ran towards the
bridge and jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue his family.
 
He reportedly had to be assisted from the water by the couple from
Verandah, who allegedly performed CPR on him.
 
The Canadian family had gone to Devil’s Bridge at about 6 a.m. that
day to take pictures of the sunrise. It was about 6:48 a.m. that the
wife and son went onto the bridge and the tragedy occurred.
 
The child’s body was fished from the southern side of Devil’s Bridge
through the efforts of the Fire Brigade Search and Rescue Team, the
Police, and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard. The
body reportedly bore no marks of violence.
 
His mother’s body was lying face down and was pulled from the
waters by members of the Fire Brigade Rescue Team and the Police.
Her body showed signs of bruises on the right leg and right hand.

After the bodies were pronounced dead by the district doctor, at
about 9:15 a.m. and 9:16 a.m., respectively, the coroner, Magistrate
Ngaio Emanuel, gave permission for them to be removed to Barnes
Funeral Home.
 
The family had arrived in Antigua on November 23 and had been
staying at the BNB Belfast Bay, in Seatons. They were scheduled to
leave Antigua at 4 p.m. on the day of the incident.
 
Plans are now in high gear to fly the mourning husband and father
and the two bodies back to their native Canada as soon as possible.
 
Minister of Tourism Charles “Max” Fernandez says an assessment
will be carried out in order to make the Devil’s Bridge area safer, not
only for tourists, but for locals as well.