Dead is Patrick Henry Paul, 26, of Lot 12 Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara, and a final year Technology student of the University of Guyana. He was 26.

Those critically injured and had to be air-dashed to Georgetown were: Dave Hicks and Marvin Dowe.

Others injured and reportedly treated at the Suddie Hospital were: Shawn Bruce; Jason Harewood; Clive Williams; Ajani John; Raymond Jailall; Sunil Gansesh, and Donetta Thornton. The students were reportedly from Technology, Civil Engineering and Architectural Programmes.

The injured University of Guyana students in ambulance after touching down at the Ogle Airstrip.
Reports said that the accident occurred on the Lima Public Road around noon when one of a convoy of three minibuses transporting a group about 35 University of Guyana students reportedly turned turtle and span out of control.

Eyewitnesses said the bus had to be lifted off one of the students who was pinned. While it was not known up to press time, exactly what injuries Paul sustained. His father, Roy Paul, Columnist of the Kaieteur News’ Junior Pages and former Head Master of Mabaruma Primary School said he learnt that his son was pulled out of the badly twisted vehicle with his head covered with blood.

Bereaved members of the Paul family said that Patrick left home around 7:15 hours yesterday to join the other Technology students on a field trip to examine a road project at Charity on the Essequibo Coast. They were due to return home at the end of the same day.

However, information reaching the dead man’s family said that the bus was en route to Charity when around noon, tragedy struck. One student in the wrecked bus who had a cellular phone in his possession reportedly telephoned another friend in one of the buses ahead of theirs and informed him of the tragedy. It is reported they headed back to the scene of the accident.

Paul leaves to mourn his parents Roy and Jeanna; four sisters and four brothers.

Meanwhile, when the ambulance arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital with the injured from Ogle several students who had heard the news converged on the institution to get a glimpse of their colleagues. A number of them could not compose themselves.

One student told Chronicle that he was part of the team travelling when the accident occurred; luckily he received minor injuries to his hands and was treated and sent away.

One distraught student related that he was scheduled to be among those on the trip, but changed his mind at the last moment.

The University of Guyana in a press release late yesterday afternoon expressed its deepest regrets and sadness at the tragic event resulting in the lost of one of its students.