News
The Hyundai Elantra involved in the crash that killed Jeraldin Matamoro, 25, and Akel Mark Thomas, 28, in Chaguramas on Sunday. – Faith Ayoung
The families of two people who died after their car veered off the road and crashed into the sea on May 26 from the Western Main Road, Chaguaramas are remaining mum on the accident.
The victims have been identified as 25-year-old Jeraldin Matamoro from Haleland Park, Maraval, and 28-year-old Akel Mark Thomas, from Patna Village, Diego Martin.
Police said around 8.20 pm, Thomas and Matamoro were driving east along the Western Main Road in Chaguaramas, in a silver-grey Hyundai Elantra, PBD 8469.
As the car neared O2 Park, the driver tried to overtake a line of traffic but lost control of the car.
It swerved off the road and crashed into rocks before flipping and landing on its bonnet in Welcome Bay.
The bay is a popular fishing spot and is also popular with yacht owners as a mooring spot.
Passers-by tried to free Thomas and Matamoro from the wreckage, with videos circulating on social media showing people trying to pull the car out of the water.
One video showed men on the rocky shoreline, one with a rope around his waist, as a number of passers-by tried to retrieve the car and save the two, but they were unsuccessful.
Fire trucks from the Wrightson Road Fire Headquarters eventually arrived and hauled the wrecked vehicle from the water.
As they took Matamoro and Thomas from the car, the videos depicted people trying to resuscitate Thomas using CPR, but it was too late.
Emergency responders also searched for a child, as a child seat was seen in the car, but no additional body was found, and officers believe the child was not in the car at the time of the accident.
The car was taken to the Carenage Police Station for further examination.
Both Thomas and Matamoro’s families were at the Forensic Science Centre in St James on Monday to identify their bodies.
Approached for comment, both families refused to give any additional information to the media.
The atmosphere appeared tense, as the grieving families kept to themselves and were not seen interacting or offering words of comfort to each other.
An investigator from the Carenage police station has been assigned to continue inquiries.
