Sunday tragedies at sea – Boys still missing, woman feared drowned

THE families of two missing boys – one a nine-year-old from Laventille and the other a 16-year-old from Mayaro – spent another agonised and fruitless day on Monday searching for them after they both disappeared at sea on Sunday in separate incidents.

Omarie Providence and the teenager Tyreese Singh, are both feared drowned.

On Monday afternoon, Senior Supt Ryan Khan of the Eastern Division confirmed that searches were ongoing as the two youths remained unaccounted for.

He said the Coast Guard as well as NGO Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT) were searching for their bodies.

Reports are Omarie was in the water at Mission Bay, Toco with a group of relatives, and they got into difficulties on Sunday afternoon. They went under the water, but only Omarie did not resurface.

Relatives and beach goers immediately began searching for him.

The police, Coast Guard, and HSRT led by Vallence Rambharat were alerted and joined the search, which included fishermen and residents. Sgt Edwards of the Toco police station is leading investigations.

Meanwhile, Tyreese was at a beach near Mahanna Drive off the Manzanilla Mayaro Road in Mayaro, when he got into difficulties while in the water and disappeared at around 5.15 pm.

On Monday afternoon, Newsday also spoke briefly with Rambharat, who said members were searching simultaneously in Toco and Mayaro to try to bring closure to the families of the two boys.

A 60-year-old woman from Arena Road in Freeport is also believed to have drowned while bathing at Las Cuevas beach on Sunday.

Reports are that Margaret Ramdoolie was at the beach off the North Coast Road at around 4.30 pm with family members. They later saw her floating face-down in the water.

Ramdoolie was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where she was declared dead. Investigations are ongoing.