Family of New Grant man swept away by flood thankful for rescue efforts

Anthony Walkes. -
Anthony Walkes. -

Relatives of Anthony "Tony" Walkes, whose body rescuers fished out of a river on Wednesday, two days after floodwater swept him away, are grateful to the people who helped to look for him.

"We got a lot of support in terms of people coming out to help search for him," said his nephew Darren.

A covid19 test was expected to be done on Walkes' body at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James on Friday. Once the test result is negative, an autopsy will be set for Monday.

Walkes, 49, fell in floodwater at Halls Trace, Hardbargain in Williamsville last Monday while crossing a bridge. The raging water swept him into the river, where he disappeared.

Walkes, originally from the area, was a former Caroni (1975) Ltd worker and lived at New Grant. He was an outpatient of the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital.

Immediately, residents and volunteers began searching for him. Members of the Princes Town Regional Corporation (PTRC), including its disaster management unit and municipal police, joined in. Members of the Fire Service, Defence Force, Coast Guard, the NGO Search and Rescue, and representatives from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management also joined the search.

On Tuesday, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Kazim Hosein, accompanied by chief disaster management co-ordinator Jerry David, visited the area where Walkes disappeared.

On Wednesday, after the water subsided, rescuers retrieved the body from a river in the area.

As well as the minister and the corporation, other people took to social media to send their sympathy to his family.

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"Family of New Grant man swept away by flood thankful for rescue efforts"

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