Senior Reporter
anna-lisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
Tears flowed yesterday for the couple who tragically drowned in Chaguaramas on Sunday night after their car skidded off the road and landed in the sea.
Relatives of Akel Mark Thomas, 29, of Patna Village, Diego Martin, and Jeraldin Matamoro, 26, of Haleland Park, Maraval, wept as they gathered yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James.
However, both sets of families declined to speak with reporters when approached.
It is alleged the couple was heading east along the Western Main Road in a silver-grey Hyundai Elantra near the O2 Park, Chaguaramas, around 8.20 pm when the driver overtook a line of motorists in traffic.
The driver lost control of the car, which skidded off the road and flipped into the sea.
As onlookers alerted police and fire officers, civilians wasted no time jumping into the dark waters to help the trapped couple.
Firefighters from the Wrightson Road Fire Station arrived to find several people attempting to pull Thomas’ body out of the water, which prompted the officers to turn their attention to rescuing Matamoro.
Several attempts to resuscitate both victims proved unsuccessful.
The District Medical Officer later pronounced both dead at the scene.
Although a child’s safety seat was seen strapped in the vehicle and several searches were carried out in the water, no other bodies were found.
Relatives of both victims later confirmed the child was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
