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A life-threatening medical emergency at sea ended with a successful rescue last Thursday, after a team of off-duty medical providers and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force members stepped in to save an elderly female passenger on the fast ferry MV Buccoo Reef. The incident unfolded around 7:30 a.m., roughly one hour into the vessel’s scheduled voyage from Port of Spain to Scarborough, when the woman suddenly began experiencing severe chest pain before losing consciousness. What followed was a coordinated, race-against-time effort that has since sparked calls for mandatory first aid training for all ferry crew members.

When the emergency was first announced over the ferry’s public address system, no crew members immediately stepped forward to assist. Akiela Chance, a Defence Force officer traveling on the ferry, was the first to respond to the passenger’s side. As she recounted to the *Express* on Saturday, “I was the female soldier present, and I was the first person to step in and assist the elderly lady while others stood by. I approached her and asked what the issue was and whether she had any known medical conditions. I was told she was experiencing chest pain.”

Chance worked with another passenger to carefully move the seated woman to the floor, adjusted her clothing to ease her breathing while preserving her privacy, and immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). She then instructed other bystanders to repeat the call for any medical professionals on board. A medical kit was retrieved, and 15 minutes later, Dr. Emillie Alpheus, an accident and emergency registrar at Scarborough General Hospital, arrived at the scene. Coast Guard Petty Officer Noko Baird soon joined to assist with continuing compressions before Alpheus took over lead resuscitation efforts.

Upon reaching the patient, Alpheus found the woman already unresponsive with no detectable pulse, and immediately requested an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) — a piece of life-saving equipment she was surprised to find the ferry actually carried. As Alpheus waited for the device and began chest compressions alone, a second physician, an American vacationing on the ferry who was certified in Basic Life Support, offered to take turns performing compressions, which are physically draining to administer continuously.

The team split roles: the visiting physician led chest compressions while Alpheus managed the patient’s airway, following the standard 30 compressions to two rescue breaths protocol. When the AED arrived, they delivered a defibrillation shock to the patient’s heart, then immediately resumed CPR. Mid-cycle, Alpheus detected the patient pushing against the airway device, and after completing the compression cycle, confirmed the woman had achieved Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) — meaning her heart had restarted. The elderly woman soon regained consciousness.

Following the successful revival, the captain turned the ferry back to Port of Spain, with Coast Guard vessels escorting the vessel to port. Ambulance crews were already on standby at the terminal, and immediately transferred the patient to a nearby hospital for ongoing care. As of the latest update, the woman remains hospitalized but is recovering steadily.

Alpheus, who shared that this was the second life-saving CPR effort she has led in two years, expressed gratitude for the positive outcome in an interview with the *Express*. “I just glad it was a good outcome. I am thankful for all who was around that was able to help and lend a holding hand — the other physician who was on vacation, the patient care assistant and the other members of staff from the Buccoo Reef. I am grateful that we were able to help this family. I got word from her relatives that she is doing well and from the doctors over there that she is doing better. So thankful for that and praises to God,” she said.

In an official statement issued the day of the incident, the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) confirmed the medical emergency, activated emergency protocols, and confirmed that ambulance crews met the vessel on its return to port. The authority declined to comment on the patient’s specific medical condition per privacy guidelines.

A video of the rescue circulating on social media originally misstated the details of the incident, but the woman who recorded the video corrected the account in a public comment, clarifying that the woman suffered a potential cardiac event rather than a simple fainting spell, and that two off-duty doctors led the rescue rather than crew. She also noted that untrained crew members appeared disoriented during the emergency, writing, “They need to train boat crew in first aid. Everyone was moving like headless chicken. But God is good.”

Chance echoed that call for reform, telling the *Express* that all ferry crew members should receive formal, up-to-date first aid and emergency response training to be prepared for similar incidents at sea. Members of the public have also shared widespread wishes for the patient’s full recovery following the viral spread of the rescue video.

A 10-year veteran of Trinidad and Tobago’s municipal police force and a devoted mother of three has been lost to a fatal on-duty shooting that has shaken the southern city of San Fernando and sparked urgent calls for political accountability over rising violent crime.

Forty-two-year-old Anuska Eversley, an acting corporal based at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, died early Sunday after being shot in the neck while on duty. A resident of Edinburgh 500, she leaves behind three children aged 18, 15 and 7. The shooting was also followed by the theft of multiple firearms and rounds of ammunition from the station’s secure strong room.

Eversley’s death carries an extra layer of tragedy: it came exactly three years after her brother was gunned down in a separate violent attack. On the same date in 2021, Daniel Eversley, known by the nickname “Ghost”, was killed in a shooting at a car wash in Forres Park, Claxton Bay.

San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris, who has known Eversley professionally for years, shared intimate memories that painted a portrait of a woman fully committed to both her career and her family. Two years ago, Parris said, Eversley reached out to him to calm her daughter’s pre-exam anxiety ahead of the national Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA). That small interaction forged a parental bond between them.

“After that incident, whenever we met, we talked as parents, about our children,” Parris recalled in an interview with the Express. “That’s how I knew she was such a dedicated mother.”

Across his 16 years working with the San Fernando City Corporation, Parris added, Eversley earned a reputation as an exceptionally efficient, reliable member of the municipal police force. In an official statement of condolence released Monday, Parris framed her death as an incalculable loss for the entire community.

“This is a devastating loss for our city. I have known acting Corporal Eversley for many years, and I remember her as a dedicated and committed officer who served with quiet strength, professionalism, and pride. Her passing has left a profound void within the Municipal Police and the wider San Fernando community,” the statement read.

Parris has called on Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander and Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro to launch a prompt, full investigation into what he described as a “tragic and disturbing event.” Senior law enforcement colleagues echoed Parris’ praise, with one senior officer noting Eversley consistently performed her duties to the best of her ability and was widely respected across the force.

Wendell Eversley, the victim’s uncle and a prominent local activist who survived being held hostage during the 1990 coup attempt in Port of Spain, has publicly called for the immediate dismissal of both the Minister of Homeland Security and the Minister of Defence over the killing. He called the attack on a police station “an indictment on the State,” noting it is the most severe incident targeting a police facility in the country since the 1990 coup bombing of the Port of Spain Police Headquarters.

Pointing to the stolen cache of guns and ammunition removed from the station’s strong room after the attack, Wendell Eversley raised alarming questions about national security. “Are we going to see another 1990? Look around and see. Are we all safe in this country?” he asked. He also questioned the government’s repeated promises to curb violent crime, noting that criminals appear to be gaining ground amid the current wave of violence.

With the ruling United National Congress approaching its first anniversary in power, Wendell Eversley questioned what the party could possibly celebrate after a sustained period of rising murder rates. “Inviting the public to come out. To come out and celebrate what? Celebrate blood flowing on the streets? Celebrating murders upon murders?” he said. In a social media video posted Monday, he added that the nation could no longer accept a daily reality of bloodshed. “It is time for the minister of Homeland Security and the minister of Defence to be fired. It is a sad day for Trinidad and Tobago, and mainly the State,” he said.

The Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS) also released an official statement confirming Eversley first enlisted in the municipal police force on July 1, 2008, and had been assigned to the San Fernando unit in her most recent posting.

“The TTMPS and its partner agencies extend sincere condolences to her relatives, friends and colleagues,” the release said.

A shocking brazen attack inside a Trinidad and Tobago police station has left one veteran officer dead and triggered a major national security manhunt after dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were stolen from the facility’s secured armory. The incident unfolded Sunday, April 19, 2026, at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station on Lady Hailes Avenue, where a colleague discovered the body of 42-year-old Corporal Anuska Eversley, a mother of three, who suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. An initial inventory by law enforcement confirmed that 62 firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition were missing from the station’s stored cache, prompting the highest level of response from the country’s national security agencies.

Hours after the grim discovery, Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander addressed reporters at the Southern Division Headquarters in San Fernando, where he publicly reaffirmed his unwavering confidence in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to lead a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. When pressed on whether the government had discussed implementing a nationwide curfew to curb escalating violence following the attack, Alexander confirmed no such proposal had been put forward for consideration, noting that Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago had already received a preliminary briefing on the incident and would receive updates as the investigation progresses.

Alexander pushed back against growing public criticism that the current administration is failing to get a handle on rising violent crime, arguing that years of unaddressed criminal activity cannot be reversed overnight. “Criminality is something that grows from strength to strength. So we must now intercept it, treat with it, dismantle it, and then you will see the benefits of it. It is not a ‘now process’—it is an ongoing process,” he told reporters. When asked about a social media post from Wendell Eversley, a relative of the slain officer, calling for his dismissal, Alexander said he had not yet seen the post and would not comment until he could review the content directly.

In a separate statement released to media Sunday, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge announced the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) had immediately moved to an elevated operational posture to support the TTPS and Municipal Police Service in the ongoing investigation and manhunt. Sturge urged the public to remain calm and avoid unsubstantiated rumors, noting that intelligence assets have been deployed across the country and continuous monitoring is underway to respond to any emerging threats. “All necessary resources are being applied to secure the environment and advance the investigation,” Sturge said, adding that the defence ministry is coordinating closely with police leadership and the broader national security network to deliver a unified, disciplined response.

Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen echoed calls for patience, urging members of the public and media to refrain from speculation that could undermine the ongoing investigation. In an official statement, Ameen said she is awaiting a full briefing from the Assistant Commissioner responsible for Municipal Police before offering further comment, and extended deep condolences to Eversley’s family, loved ones, and fellow officers. The Ministry of Local Government confirmed the tragedy in an official release, noting that Eversley was killed while on active duty, and that investigators are working systematically to map out the full sequence of events. “This tragic incident serves as a solemn reminder of the risks undertaken daily by members of the Municipal Police Service in their commitment to public safety and national service,” the release read. The ministry pledged to release additional details to the public as soon as they are cleared by investigators.

The high-profile attack has reignited long-simmering public debate over government efforts to combat organized crime and improve security at law enforcement facilities across the twin-island nation, with investigators now working against the clock to recover the stolen cache of weapons before they can be trafficked into illegal street networks.

In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, a senseless act of violence at a southern Trinidad and Tobago police station left a decorated 15-year veteran officer dead and triggered a massive manhunt after more than 60 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were stolen from the facility’s secure strong room.

Thirty-eight-year-old Anuska Eversley, an acting corporal with the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS), was found fatally shot in the neck by a colleague just after 4:40 a.m. at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, located on King’s Wharf along Lady Hailes Avenue. The fellow officer, returning to the station’s charge room after an absence, discovered the space dark, the strong room ajar, and blood seeping from Eversley’s dormitory quarters, where her half-clothed body lay on a mattress. She had last been seen alive just before 11 p.m. Saturday while on duty.

The brutal killing has sent waves of grief and shock through the officer’s family, her colleagues, and the Trinidad and Tobago public. Grieving relatives gathered at the cordoned-off crime scene Sunday morning, weeping openly as one heartbroken relative cried out, “WHY Father, why?” in anguish over the loss.

Within hours of the discovery, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro confirmed that a serving police officer had been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the attack, and all officers who were on shift with Eversley the night of the killing would be required to provide formal statements as part of the investigation. Addressing reporters at a press briefing at the Southern Division headquarters in San Fernando, Guevarra called the incident an immediate top priority for law enforcement, and spoke candidly about the heartbreak that would come from one of their own being involved.

“I would be very disheartened that an officer, sworn to protect the rights of citizens and uphold the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, could do something so heinous to one of his officers,” he said.

Initial official inventories of the stolen arsenal confirm attackers made off with 52 Glock pistols, six shotguns, four MPX-style rifles, and more than 4,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition. A multi-agency investigative response has been launched, involving homicide detectives from Homicide Region III, tactical teams from the Inter-Agency Task Force, the Multi-Option Police Section, the Southern Division Task Force, and air and coastal support units. Crime scene investigators have already begun processing the site, collecting forensic evidence and conducting fingerprint analysis, and the station remains on lockdown as the probe progresses.

Commissioner Guevarro told reporters Sunday that investigators have not uncovered any evidence to suggest the attack was a coordinated targeted strike on law enforcement by an external criminal group, adding that no further details would be released while the investigation is active. When asked about the massive security breach that allowed the weapons to be stolen from the station’s secure storage, Guevarro said all gaps would be uncovered during the investigation and the incident would serve as a learning moment to improve future security protocols.

Assistant Commissioner of Municipal Police Surrendra Sagramsingh clarified that approximately seven officers were scheduled for the overnight shift from Saturday to Sunday, though several were deployed to outlying substations, leaving roughly five officers on-site at the San Fernando main station. He confirmed that Eversley was not alone on the premises when she was killed, contradicting early unconfirmed reports that she had been working the overnight shift by herself.

Addressing public anxiety over the stolen weapons cache and the brazen attack on a police facility, Guevarro moved quickly to reassure the public that the incident is an isolated one, and that there is no cause for undue panic. He emphasized that existing emergency powers granted under the current state of emergency are sufficient for law enforcement to respond effectively, and that there are no plans to implement new curfews or expand emergency measures at this time.

“Let them know that of the resolve of the law enforcement, not just the TTPS or the municipal police,” Guevarro said, speaking directly to the perpetrators. “We will not sit idly by and allow this sweet country of Trinidad and Tobago to be overrun by any criminality behaviour. We have less than 500 serious criminals in this country holding 1.4 million persons to ransom; we will not allow that to happen, rest assured.”

Guevarro extended official condolences to Eversley’s family, friends, and colleagues, noting that the 15-year veteran left her home Saturday night to serve the public, and ultimately made the ultimate sacrifice for her community. “She lost her life while on duty. She had parents and she had children. I urge us all to take cognisance of the fact that police officers make the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

As of Sunday evening, investigations remain ongoing, with law enforcement working to recover all stolen firearms and bring all those responsible for Eversley’s killing to justice.

A brazen attack on the San Fernando Municipal Police Station that left on-duty officer Woman Police Constable Anuska Eversley dead and an arsenal of 56 firearms and thousands of ammunition rounds missing has triggered urgent warnings from top security experts, who say the stolen weapons are likely already in the possession of criminal networks and could spark a major surge in violent street and organized crime across the country.

The incident, which unfolded at a facility designed to be one of the most secure state-controlled sites in the region, has prompted searing criticism of existing national security protocols, particularly as the attack took place while the nation was already under a state of emergency that grants law enforcement expanded arrest and investigative powers.

Security consultant Dr. Garvin Heerah, in an interview with local newspaper *Express* following the attack and death of Eversley, called the incident a deeply troubling indicator of how rapidly organized criminal groups have grown in boldness, capability, and ambition. Unlike past criminal activity that largely operated on the margins of state control, Heerah emphasized that this attack marks a dangerous new phase: criminal networks are now willing to directly target state security infrastructure, kill active law enforcement officers, and seize military-grade weaponry to expand their own operational power.

“The killing of a police officer in this context is not merely an attack on an individual public servant, it is a direct assault on the sovereign authority of the state,” Heerah explained. He added that the breach represents one of the most sensitive and urgent national security threats the country has faced in recent years, while also exposing critical flaws in the multi-layered security systems that are supposed to protect law enforcement facilities across the nation.

Police stations and municipal law enforcement bases are required to be secured through a combination of physical barriers, procedural checks, and technological monitoring, making a breach of this scale particularly alarming. Heerah noted that the attack points to systemic vulnerabilities that demand immediate, comprehensive assessment and remediation at every similar law enforcement installation across the country.

Beyond the systemic failure, the loss of such a large cache of weapons creates an immediate public safety crisis. Heerah warned that the stolen firearms, now circulating among criminal elements, carry a drastically elevated risk of widespread violent crime, including gang-related reprisal attacks, escalating inter-gang conflict, and expanded large-scale organized criminal operations.

To address the crisis, Heerah has called on Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro to launch a full-scale, multi-agency investigation and response. He stressed that coordinated collaboration between intelligence units, investigative divisions, forensic services, and specialized tactical teams will be critical to unraveling the attack. Heerah also noted that advanced technological tools, including surveillance analytics, digital forensics, communications tracking, and cross-agency data integration, will be essential to identifying the perpetrators, reconstructing the sequence of the attack, and recovering the stolen arsenal before it can be deployed in future criminal activity.

Heerah framed the incident as a critical wake-up call for national security leaders, urging an immediate overhaul of security protocols at all state security installations across the island. “Immediate reviews of access control systems, armoury management procedures, personnel vetting, surveillance coverage, and rapid response mechanisms must be undertaken as urgent precautionary measures,” he said.

Leading criminologist Dr. Renee Cummings echoed these concerns, going a step further to argue that the attack amounts to a damning indictment of the country’s protective services, especially given the ongoing state of emergency that grants police maximum legal authority to prevent such incidents.

Cummings posed a sharp rhetorical question: “How does a failure of this magnitude occur during a period of maximum authority?” She explained that even with expanded police powers, basic security controls failed across every critical domain: armoury security, site surveillance, command oversight, and on-duty personnel protection.

She emphasized that the attack took place inside a facility that was supposed to operate as a hardened, impenetrable fortress, designed to withstand criminal attempts at intrusion. “When the State cannot secure the controlled environment of its own installation or safeguard an on-duty officer within it, its capacity to deliver public safety at scale is not credible,” Cummings said. “If the State cannot guarantee the controlled safety of one officer within its own walls, on what basis can it claim to secure the safety of an entire nation?”