By Sue-Ann Wayow
JUST before 7 pm on Tuesday, evidence from witnesses at the Commission of Enquiry (CoE) into the deaths of the four underwater divers last February, came to an end.
On Wednesday, the CoE begins at 11 am with closing statements from representing attorneys.
The day ended with attorney Prakash Ramadhar representing the families of Yusuf Henry and Fyzal Kurban reading a statement provided to the Commission by 11-year-old Aliyah Henry, Yusuf’s Henry’s daughter.
The CoE heard that on that fateful Friday on February 25, 2022 when her father along with three of his colleagues were sucked into a pipeline at Paria’s facilities in Pointe-a-Pierre, she prayed for a miracle that did not happen.
“I will never get over this horrific death of my father. He didn’t deserve that death. Every day I wake up is like I am living a nightmare that my father is no longer with me and I love him so much and every single day that passes I miss him,” her statement says.
Henry through Ramadhar told the Commission that she watches a video of her father singing to her in a birthday video, the last one before he died just to see his face and smile.
She wrote, “He was a great dad to me and loved me unconditionally… I will never forget him and most of all, I will always remember how tragic his death was. Daddy I miss you dearly and know one day we will be united again. You will always be my hero.”
Aliyah Henry, one of Yusuf’s Henry’s four children is carded to write the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) this year and she also stated she don’t know how she will manage without her father’s support.
Before Aliyah’s statement was read, the CoE heard from Afiesha Henry, sister of Yusuf Henry and Nicole Greenridge, Yusuf’s Henry’s mother. Both women shed tears while giving their account of what happened on February 25, 2022 and the days that followed.
Both Afiesha Henry and Greenidge read from edited statements supplied to the CoE.
Earlier in the day, Zaid Khan of In-Corr Tech Ltd gave an extensive technical account of what could have occurred that day at No. 36 Sealine Riser, Berth #6 when Fyzal Kurban, Yusuf Henry, Rishi Nagassar and Kazim Ali Jr were sucked into a pipeline.
In-Corr Tech in conducting its own investigations, concluded that the incident was caused by a hazardous Delta-P situation in which there was a differential in pressure condition.
Using a model created and shown via video, Khan sought to explain to the CoE what could have caused the Delta-P and why there would have been concern about a second hazardous situation occurring.
The CoE’s evidentiary hearings began on November 22, 2022, at the International Waterfront Centre in Port-of-Spain. After opening remarks that day, the CoE heard from its first witness sole survivor of the incident Christopher Boodram, the following day.
The Commission has also visited Paria’s facilities at Pointe-a-Pierre and Berth #6 where the incident occurred.
There is one more day carded for a site visit of the hyperbaric chamber in March and an additional day in the event that more evidence is needed to be heard.
