Four men remain in hospital ? one in intensive care overseas ? as a result of last week's horrifying lifeboat accident off Dockyard.

Seven crew members from the were undertaking a lifeboat safety drill when the boat slipped from the cruise ship, plunging 60 feet into the waters below, last Tuesday.

Bystanders who saw the accident feared for the lives of the seven men on board, but miraculously all survived the fall.

Yesterday, spoke with four of the crewmen, who said they "felt lucky to be alive" and praised the care they have received in Bermuda at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The men, who hail from various counties around the world (see box of victim briefs), said they were optimistic that they would be able to get on with their lives once they recovered from injuries they sustained.

"We feel better," crewman Nelson Calderon said. "The treatment (at KEMH) is very, very good."

Mr. Calderon became the face of the accident when was pictured on a stretcher on page one of , last Wednesday.

He said he found it difficult to think about the day of the accident, but that a visit from a local "pastor" had helped him cope with his experience.

"I am far from home. But when he came, I felt near to where I came from," Mr. Calderon said.crew members have also been visiting the injured in hospital, which has drawn an air of camaraderie out of the near tragedy.

The men are still shaken up and frightened from their ordeal, however, and as the investigation into the accident continues, they have not ruled out taking legal action.

Lungelo Manxiwa has been hailed as the hero of the group, but remains modest about his feats which may saved the lives of three of his friends.

"I helped three of us who were face down in the water," he said yesterday.

"I had to climb over their bodies to get their faces out of the water. One (person) was severely bleeding. I am happy to have truly helped somebody in my life.

"I hope this is the last time there is an accident such as this. Someone will lose a life next time."

Meanwhile, Canadian crew member Tarik Soliman said the hospital was taking care care of them well.

But, he said he did not find out until yesterday that he had a "lower back fracture" discovered during an MRI, on Monday.

"They said I was in shock. I did not know it was fractured until I got to get up and walk around after I was released from hospital," Mr. Soliman said.

"I had two MRIs in two days and an X-Ray."

He said he might have to have surgery to correct the problem and feels "terrible".

Mr. Soliman and Mr. Manxiwa have been staying at a local hotel since they were released from KEMH.

"Myself and Max have been having physiotherapy and seeing an orthopaedist since Friday," Mr. Soliman said.

"I am happy to be alive," Mr. Manxiwa added. "It was a very life threatening experience. I am happy that everybody is alive and getting better."

"But everybody is worried about Alex," he said, referring to his injured comrade, Alex Razo, who was airlifted to the Lahey Clinic in Boston last Thursday.

Mr. Razo is still in intensive care overseas.

Another crewman being looked after at a general ward at KEMH, Eduardo Sejera, said he just wants to go back home.

The sixth man hurt in last week's fall, Rudolfo Hooker, said he "did not know what the future would hold for them" but that he had been told that Royal Caribbean was going to treat the injured men well.

"All I want is my health back," he said. "And to see if I can get back to work. I have two kids back in Nicaragua. I have got to get straight and get help for the kids."