A perfect day at the beach ended in horror yesterday, after a runaway jet ski ploughed into a vacationing Barrackpore family and killed seven-year-old Angelica Jogie at Pigeon Point, Tobago.
Scores of visitors, both local and foreign, were at the popular beach relaxing after the Easter weekend when tragedy struck.
According to reports, around 4.30 pm, Jogie was playing in the water with a large group of relatives, within the area designated for bathing only, when the jet ski suddenly motored past the barrier and slammed into Angelica, her parents and her uncle.
The jet ski operator never stopped and remained on the run from the police last night.
The incident caused massive panic as relatives pulled the bleeding and unconscious child to the shore. Lifeguards rushed to their assistance and administered CPR, but Angelica remained unresponsive.
Concerned onlookers found a doctor, a UK visitor vacationing on the island who was at the beach, who also tried in vain to resuscitate the girl.
Emergency responders then took her and the injured relatives to the Scarborough General Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Immediately after the incident, the Pigeon Point Heritage Park was locked down, with security barring all entry. The bars and other food outlets were also reportedly closed soon after.
In an interview with Guardian Media, Trinidadian couple Suzie and Anand, who went with their daughter to fish at Pigeon Point, expressed outrage.
“It supposed to be a safe space. It has barriers. To know the jet ski came in and broke the barriers, I don’t know what to say…Sometimes them jet skis does be wild,” Suzie said.
Her husband believes the industry is not properly regulated, noting that users and patrons are not insured if something goes wrong. It’s a risk you taking,” he said.
In an emergency media conference around 8.05 pm last night, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine expressed condolences and apologised to the family.
Augustine said the entire Buccoo Marine Park, including Pigeon Point, will be closed today to facilitate investigations. He said the police will be probing the incident, while the Tobago House of Assembly will also launch its own probe.
“We are investigating on our end to see if workers and operators, if they didn’t operate within the systems that they ought to follow,” Augustine said.
He said all stakeholders will be reminded about the regulations surrounding the park. He also confirmed the jet ski operator remained at large after fleeing the scene.
“The operator of the jet ski should not be hiding. You should really make yourself available for a conversation with the TTPS so we can know how the jet ski ended up in the zone designated for bathers,” Augustine said.
He revealed that the THA was found legally liable for a similar incident involving a jet ski in the past at Pigeon Point, and warned operators that tough legislation is coming to crack down on illegal activities.
“It just shows that when people don’t follow the rules, we end up in tragedy.”
At the Scarborough Hospital last night, a relative of Angelica, who did not want to be named, said she remained stunned by the incident.
“Is a whole group of us was bathing. How he could not see us? He did not even stop when we shout out. He just looked back and drive off,” she said.
She said her husband (Angelica’s uncle) received a gash to his head while Angelica’s mother was suffering from immense pain to her back. Angelica’s father was also seriously injured.
The incident comes less than one month after Augustine vowed to stamp out lawless behaviour at the Buccoo Marine Park during a plenary sitting.
Tourism Secretary Zorisha Hackett visited the family at the hospital last night to express her condolences.
Meanwhile, in a statement last evening, the Division of Tourism, Culture and Antiquities condemned unsafe or unauthorised operations of watercraft within designated bathing areas. The division noted that it issued an April 2 advisory which reinforced regulations governing the use of the marine park.
“That advisory clearly outlined operational requirements and safety protocols for all marine park users, including strict restrictions on unauthorised jet ski activity within the park.”
The THA has also promised to provide counselling to the victims.
