Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, has made a public appeal for the operator of the jet ski involved in a deadly accident at Pigeon Point Heritage Park in Tobago on Wednesday evening to surrender to police.
In a media briefing, Augustine said the operator fled the scene after his jet ski crashed into seven-year-old Angelica Saydee Jogie and her family.
“The police have confiscated the jet ski, and the police are looking for the operator of the jet ski who fled the scene at the time of the incident. We really wish that this was not the conversation we are having this evening,” he said.
Augustine said he was informed that the jet ski collided with a family that was bathing within the area designated for bathers. That area, he said, was cordoned off to prevent watercraft from entering.
“The jet ski collided with a family that included mother, father, daughter, and uncle. As a result of the incident, we have the death of a young girl, seven years old. We want to express condolences to the Jogie family — Arnold and Salisha Jogie are the parents. The young daughter, Angelica, was left unconscious and later died at the Scarborough General Hospital,” he said.
Augustine said the incident is being investigated by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the THA.
“We are investigating to see if workers and operators did not operate in accordance with the systems they ought to follow and whether all post-trauma care and operations matched the protocols established for them,” he said.
He also made an appeal for the relatives of the jet ski operator to contact the police.
“The perpetrator is still at large. I want to appeal to the family members and friends of the jet ski operator. You should not be hiding from TTPS. You need to say exactly what transpired and how the jet ski ended up in the zone designated for bathers,” he said.
Augustine said the Pigeon Point Heritage Park would remain closed tomorrow to facilitate the investigation.
He added that the THA has been having ongoing conversations regarding operations at the popular tourist facility.
“We have been having conversations to ensure safety for all of our guests and all users of the park,” he said.
Lifeguards and bystanders rushed to help the child when the incident happened at around 5 p.m. She was taken to the hospital by ambulance but died while being treated.
