By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE four divers who died in a sea line of Paria Fuel Trading Company were alive for at least 15 hours after the incident around 2.45 pm on February 25.
The maximum time they could have been alive was 39 hours.
This was the claim being made attorney Gerald Ramdeen at a press conference at the Hilton Trinidad on Thursday when he presented the conclusions drawn by a private autopsy done by pathologist Dr Hubert Daisley on the body of Kazim Ali Jr.
It has been 35 days since Kazim Ali Jr, Yusuff Henry, Fyzal Kurban and Rishi Nagassar all lost their lives on February 25.
Christopher Boodram is the only survivor from the incident.
Their funerals have been conducted, several vigils have been held, separate investigations launched and a commission of enquiry set up to investigate the incident that has attracted global attention, especially in the energy sector.
Ramdeen showing the contents of the autopsy performed by Dr Daisley explained that death occurred 48 hours before it was recovered “give or take 12 hours.”
According to the report, the date and time of the incident took place on February 25 at 2.45 pm.
Ali Jr’s body was recovered on February 28 at 6 pm.
The earliest time of death would have been on February 26 at 6 am and the latest possible time of death would have been February 27 at 6 am, Ramdeen said.
Dr Daisley’s report stated that the earliest time of death was 15 hours and 15 minutes.
The time in the pipeline alive according to the latest time of death would have been 39 hours and 15 minutes, Ramdeen said.
The attorney said, “These people were left in the pipeline fully well knowing that they were alive to die. There is no other report, because Paria did not commission any report to contradict the findings of Dr Daisley.”
He said when Boodram resurfaced, he mentioned to his rescuers that the other men were alive and the assurance was given that they would not have been left behind.
Orders from Paria were disobeyed in order for Boodram to be rescued, Ramdeen said.
“With all the experts that Paria got their advice from, they didn’t realise that these people… there were air pockets in the pipeline that allowed them to survive for up to 39 hours after,” Ramdeen said.
He said, “The private autopsy that was done demonstrated that at least for 15 hours they were alive and for the maximum 39 hours, they were alive.”
The attorney asked, “What did Paria do to save those four people that were clearly alive inside the pipeline after they were told these people were alive when Christopher Boodram came out?”
Ramdeen said nobody could explain the inhumanity of leaving four individuals to die a most tragic death and not do everything possible to save them.
He said families of the four men were now begging Paria for assistance as their breadwinners have died.
Ramdeen also said the commission of enquiry will not do anything meaningful for the grieving family members.
“What are the findings of the commissioner of inquiry going to do for the families who have lost their loved ones?” he asked.
The Death Certificate of Ali Jr, 36, stated that the date of death was February 28. The cause of death was asphyxia drowning.
The autopsy also revealed that Ali Jr suffered fractures to the left fabia and tibula bones which produced blood loss and would have incapacitated Ali Jr.
The four men were all employed by LMCS Ltd to do maintenance work at the pipeline located in the Gulf of Paria near to the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery. Ali’s father is also the owner of the contracted company.
LMCS in a statement early in March vowed to ensure that everyone held liable for the deaths of the divers be held accountable.
