The principal of San Fernando TML Primary School has described the death of seven-year-old Angelica Saydee Jogie as a heartbreaking tragedy for the entire school community.
In a message to parents and guardians yesterday, acting principal Wahida Mohammed-Narine said Angelica was “an A student—bright, beautiful, well-disciplined and full of promise.”
“Her gentle spirit and positive presence touched the lives of her classmates, teachers and all who had the privilege of knowing her,” Mohammed-Narine said.
She said that the Ministry of Education, the Victoria Education District and the Student Support Services Division had committed to providing counselling and support for students, teachers and staff, particularly those in Angelica’s class and the class of her sibling.
A family outing to Pigeon Point Heritage Park turned tragic on Wednesday evening when Saydee, of Barrackpore, was killed in a jet ski incident.
The child had been bathing with relatives shortly before 5 p.m. inside a designated bathing area near the perimeter rope when a jet ski broke through the barrier and crashed into the family.
Angelica’s uncle, Darren Jogie, said he and other relatives were also struck.
“We were bathing at Pigeon Point not too far from the ropes, inside the ropes, and this guy with this jet ski, I do not know where he came from, hit me, my brother and hit the child. Two of them were unconscious one time. I could not catch myself. Saydee got the full brunt of the jet ski and her whole face mash up,” he said.
Relatives and bystanders rushed to help the child, performing CPR on the shore before she was taken to hospital.
Despite efforts by first responders and medical staff, Angelica later died.
The tragedy has renewed calls for stricter regulation of jet ski operators and stronger enforcement of safety zones at Tobago beaches, particularly during the Easter vacation period when visitor numbers increase.
Witnesses and social media users questioned why jet skis were operating so close to swimmers and whether sufficient monitoring was in place.
The incident has also revived memories of previous jet ski tragedies in Tobago.
In 2018, 13-year-old Shem Murray died after the jet ski he was operating struck a coral reef near Pigeon Point.
In August 2023, Mathias Jerry drowned after falling from a jet ski near No Man’s Land.
