A memorial service for Colombian national, Edward Rueda, was held yesterday at St Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church.
Rueda, who was in Barbados on a work assignment with the Jada Group, was swept out to sea while sightseeing with his colleagues on the cliffs near the Animal Flower Cave in St Lucy on Christmas Day last year.
His distraught Colombian workmates gathered at the Maxwell, Christ Church place of worship for the brief service.
They watched with sombre faces as photos of him were displayed on a monitor and Milton Pulido, who was with Rueda when the tragic incident occurred, delivered the eulogy in his native tongue.
Parish Priest, Andy Nyga, who conducted the service, offered his condolences and encouraged members of the audience to remain hopeful because there was life after death. An emotional, Jhon Suarez, who said he was a close friend of Rueda, cried openly.
In a previous interview with this newspaper Pulido, who was also attached to Jada said he and Rueda were visiting the tourist attraction when the incident occurred.
“I wanted to show them the beauty of the place, because I took people there before to show them the waves, the cliff and rocks. However, while we were there, he [Rueda] got very close to the shore, and a tough wave came, collected him and put him into the water.”
He said they tried to save him but the rough waters made it difficult. He described Rueda as a happy man that seldom complained.
Police have never commented on the incident and several attempts for a response from Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Rodney Inniss, were futile. (RT)
