A candlelight service will be held tomorrow to commemorate the life of sea tragedy victim Micah Battersbee.

Friends and family of the fisherman, who was lost at sea in the New Nuts sinking on January 7 this year, will gather on Shelly Bay Field in Hamilton Parish at 6 p.m. for the service of remembrance to celebrate his life.

His aunt Caroline Burgess said tomorrow would have been Mr. Battersbee's 30th birthday and the family wished to mark the day with something special.

She said: "It would have been Micah's 30th birthday and his sister, mother and father felt that they wanted to have something on that day.

"They wanted a candlelight service, which would be a celebration of his life. It will be an opportunity for his friends and family to come together to think about him and his life."

Mr. Battersbee, from Devonshire, died along with fisherman Alan Edness, 56, from Southampton, when a freak wave hit the New Nuts when it was about 80 miles north-east of the Island in January.

The boat overturned and sank about 20 minutes later, taking the two men down with it.

Skipper Bobby Lambe was the only one who managed to make it out alive. He battled in mountainous seas for almost 20 hours before being spotted by the US Coast Guard and eventually being picked up by American naval ship the USNS Comfort, which was on its way to the Persian Gulf and was diverted to assist in the rescue.

While the families of both Mr. Battersbee and Mr. Edness, who were both fathers, came to terms with their losses, Mr. Lambe had to stay on the naval ship until he was allowed to disembark ten days later in Spain. He is now back on the Island and learning to live with the loss of his two friends.

Mr. Battersbee's aunt said last night that, with time, the family was coping with his death.

"We are doing good," said Mrs. Burgess.

"Every time we look at the water, we see him. We think about him every day, but it gets easier as time goes on."

The service tomorrow will start at 6 p.m. and is expected to last for about an hour.

Rev. Alton Thomspon, of the AME Church, will officiate at the service, while pianist Darrell Fubler will play and Lynn Williams will sing.