Pirogue capsizes in rough waters in Tobago, one dead

Newsday Tobago learnt that at approximately 12 noon, a fishing vessel overturned at sea with three persons onboard, two females and a male driver from Plymouth.

Police sources confirmed that 16-year-old Shaniqua Toppin succumbed to her injuries on arrival at the Scarborough General Hospital. Her mother Sherylyn Toppin,who was also a passenger on-board the vessel managed to swim to safety to get help.

According to Divisional Fire Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, his unit recieved the distress call at approximately 1pm.

“We got information that the three; the mother, her teenage daughter and the boat driver Kervyn Guy of Plymouth left the bay enroute for a fishing expedition.

When they were 100 metres out to sea they were confronted by a wave. They were able to manouvre one and then came in contact with another. This trumped the boat over throwing the occupants overboard,” he said.

Thomas said there were then some efforts of self rescuing but this failed.

“The boat operator fled the scene and the mother swum to shore and she did say that her daughter did not surface. The mother ran to the roadway to get help where she met a truck driver who dropped her off at the nearby Mt Irvine Beach facility where the lifeguards there were summoned,” the Division Fire Officer said.

This prompted a search, he said and as a result the body was retrieved some 75 feet down on a precipice.

“The body remained unresponsive however she was transported to the Scarborough General Hospital.

Newsday understands there was no safety equipment including life jackets on-board.