Tobago: Eyewitnesses allege ‘reckless riding’ led to death of Angelica Jogie, 7, at Pigeon Point

Trinidad and Tobago: New accounts from eyewitnesses have further intensified scrutiny over the fatal jet ski incident which took place on Wednesday at Pigeon Point Heritage Park which claims that reckless riding led to a breach of safety barriers as well as the death of seven-year-old Angelica Jogie.

According to one of the eyewitnesses, the jet ski operator allegedly crossed into a designated bathing area near the rocky sections of the shoreline where the child as well as her family were at the time. He claimed that the rider approached from the direction of the Pigeon Point jetty and in what was described as a clearly reckless operation, he breached the barrier and separated the watercraft from swimmers before colliding with the family.

The impact allegedly caused fatal injuries to the child. It is further reported that immediately after the incident, the operator abandoned the jet ski and fled from the scene with the eyewitness saying that he was in a state of panic.

Acting on the information received, police later went to a residence in Canaan where a man in his 30s was detained for questioning in connection with this incident. Authorities have since confirmed that a suspect is in custody as the investigations into the tragic death of the child continues.

Moreover, the eyewitness described the aftermath as deeply traumatic and chaotic with those present still struggling to process what actually happened. “Everybody still horrified,” the eyewitness said and pointed to what they believe was clear recklessness as the cause of the tragedy.

These allegations come amid growing public concern over enforcement failures within designated marine park zones, especially at high-traffic beaches such as Pigeon Point. Authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the full sequence of events which led to the tragedy but have indicated that investigations remain active.

Notably, the incident has already caused the closure of Pigeon Point Heritage Park and the Buccoo Reef Marine Park as officials continue to conduct safety assessments and review operational controls governing watercraft activity.