By Prior Beharry
THE bodies of the three divers who died in a sea line at Paria Trading Fuel Company in Pointe-a-Pierre have been sent to the Forensic Sciences Centre for autopsies.
Paria in a release on Monday night stated that on the advice of District Medical Officer Dr Melissa Bachan, the three bodies were taken to the San Fernando General Hospital and then to the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Center, St James.
The families were therefore not allowed to view the bodies at Point-a-Pierre. The car park of Paria where the families of the men camped out was now empty.
The release stated, “All the affected families were simultaneously informed of this event and have been advised that they are to proceed to the Forensic Sciences Center to conduct positive identification tomorrow (Tuesday).
“Recovery efforts of the fourth diver will continue throughout the night.”
The three bodies were found on Monday.
And in another release at 10.40 am on Tuesday, Paria denied that the fourth body has been recovered.
It categorically denied that the body of the fourth diver has been found as stated by the OWTU Chief Education and Research Officer Ozzie Warwick to Guardian Media.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley offered condolences to the bereaved families.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Rowley said, “I want to give the assurance to the families that nothing will stand in the way of determining how this tragedy occurred. I also want to commit to them that all that has to be done by Paria and its associates in this matter will be professionally executed starting with the already announced independent investigation involving the best professional and technical expertise available to the country.”
The divers who died in the pipeline have been identified as Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Yusuf Henry and Kazim Ali Jr. Christopher Boodram was rescued. They were conducting a welding operation.
