On this week’s episode of Below Deck, viewers got to see a new dimension to Captain Lee Rosbach. The Captain usually comes off as an intimidating, brusque, straight-shooter. But he really became very emotional and almost paternal towards Ashton Pienaar after his dramatic rescue from the waters in Tahiti.
It’s very clear watching Captain Lee on the Below Deck After Show that he is still haunted to talk about the incident. Captain Lee fought off tears as he described the circumstances that saved Ashton’s life. He shared, “Three things had to happen to save Ashton’s life. Any one of those three that doesn’t happen. And I gotta make a phone call. Tell somebody I killed their kid.”
At the time of filming, Captain Lee had no idea what was actually happening. He did not know Ashton was being dragged behind the boat. But he immediately took the boat out of gear as a precaution. Looking back on it now, of course, it was the only way to save Ashton’s life.
RELATED: Captain Lee Rosbach Traumatized By Ashton Pienaar Falling Overboard On Below Deck
Captain Lee explained why it was so critical, “The boat had to come out of gear. Because if I keep going, and it’s not out of gear, and he’s wrapped in the line, and we’re dragging him behind the boat. No, he’s not going to drown. We’re gonna cut his leg off at the ankle. Two minutes and he’s going to bleed out. There’s no way we can get back there quick enough to get him out of the water, onboard, to a hospital, before he’s dead.”
The second crucial piece of the puzzle was Rhylee Gerber calling the man overboard. Captain Lee got the alert over the radio and reacted accordingly, “Rhylee had to say man overboard. Otherwise, I don’t take it out of gear. If I don’t take it out of gear, he’s dead. Rhylee was the only person who said man overboard. And she said it so lightly that I almost couldn’t believe what I heard. From then on, it was total radio silence. I immediately took the boat of gear.”
According to man overboard procedures, the crew member giving the alert is supposed to shout it. That is pretty specific, even in a brief google search on the topic. The other crew members also questioned the subdued tone of her delivery. Rhylee explained she mumbled into the radio in an effort not to disturb the charter guests.
RELATED: Captain Lee Rosbach Would Have Fired Rhylee Gerber If He Saw Her Attitude In Person; Calls Out New Stew Laura Betancourt For Her Constant Criticism
The final piece of the trilogy was the actions of the true hero of this story, cameraman Brent. He was the one to untie the line that was dragging Ashton. Who knows why the other deck crew members present at the back of the boat were unable to come up with that solution. Captain Lee credits Brent for saving Ashton’s life.
Perhaps Brent should have been included on the Watch What Happens episode last week with Ashton. Surely saving a Bravolebrities life warrants a seat in Andy Cohen’s studio.
TELL US-SHOULD CAPTAIN LEE HAVE BEEN BETTER INFORMED OF THE ACCIDENT DETAILS? DO YOU THINK THE DECK CREW RESPONDED CORRECTLY TO THE EMERGENCY SITUATION?
{Photo credit- Bravo}
