A coroner’s inquest began this week over a watercraft accident that happened 14 months ago near Chambly, Que.
The victim was a 25-year-old woman who fell overboard and her family is searching for answers.
Sarah Massey was finishing her studies in business administration two years ago. Her parents and friends describe her as a partier who enjoyed life and the outdoors.
Her death left her parents heartbroken.
“There’s no worse tragedy for a parent,” says her mother, Helene Noel.
Massey was out with eight friends who were enjoying wake-surfing on the Richelieu River. There was a lot of alcohol being consumed on board. Then, the boat made a sudden stop.
Massey fell overboard. Her friends went to rescue her but noticed a lot of blood. She had hit the propeller and suffered a massive leg injury.
Some of her friends were trained first responders but it was too late. Massey died on her way to hospital. That’s when her parents started asking questions, but say they never got answers.
They questioned why the boat pilot never underwent a breathalyzer test, which would have led to criminal charges had the results proven he was drinking.
“It’s clearly a party on that boat. So … the question we have is: is it an accident or is it a crime?” said Massey’s father, Luc Massey.
The father accuses police of not conducting a proper investigation.
Eleven people are testifying at the coroner’s inquest, including other passengers on the boat and first responders on the scene.
In Quebec, coroners are only allowed to gather facts and make recommendations. They can’t lay criminal charges but for Massey’s family, knowing the truth would at least allow them to move on.
