Classical singer dies after tractor falls into river

A 68-year-old tractor driver who was clearing land about 100 feet away from the North Oropuche River, Valencia, is believed to have drowned, when the tractor rolled into the swollen river. Up until late yesterday no one could say exactly how the tragic death occurred and an autopsy is scheduled for Monday. The tractor remained submerged in the murky river yesterday and efforts were made to have it removed, while the body of Andrew Joseph was retrieved from the cabin of the tractor on Friday night. The body was viewed by a District Medical Officer and removed to the Sangre Grande Mortuary. When Sunday Newsday visited Sant’s Quarry where Joseph worked, workers milled around the premises and expressed sadness over the death. They claimed that Joseph was a hard worker and enjoyed his work. Rambarran Sant, Joseph’s boss, expressed sadness over the death and told Sunday Newsday that Joseph was given the job of clearing away land.

He carried out part of the work early Friday and left around 3.30 pm. Sant said that when Joseph failed to return from the job site a check was made but he was not found. Workers at the quarry made another check and saw the tractor inside the river. A check revealed that the body of Joseph was inside the cabin of the tractor. Officers of the Sangre Grande Police Station were alerted and a party of officers led by Inspector Andrews and including Cpls Mark, Ag Cpl Fuentes, PCs Vialva and others went to the scene. Another tractor driver Lennox Findlay was interviewed by the police and he claimed that the last time that he saw Joseph was around 4 pm when he saw him clearing away the land. At the Phaltoo Trace, Talparo home of the deceased, his wife Ivy Joseph told Sunday Newsday that she only learnt of the death around 9 pm on Friday. She said that her husband usually returned home from work at 7 pm each night and when he did not return on Friday she became worried. She said that she was contacted via telephone on Friday informing her that her husband was missing and a search was being carried out. As tears swelled her eyes the mother of eight described her husband as a good man and an excellent father. She said that he believed in working hard and refused to go into retirement. The soft-spoken woman said that her husband was well known in Talparo and was a singer in East Indian classical songs. He was one of the few non-East-Indians who sang Hindi songs and sang at weddings and functions. She added that everyone was fascinated by the singing skills of her husband. The grieving woman expressed sadness over the death and said that she has lost the light in her life.