19-year-old aspiring model dies after jumping at Devil’s Bridge in Antigua

Antigua and Barbuda: A 19-year-old aspiring model lost her life after jumping into the water at Devil’s Bridge on Saturday night and failing to resurface. Her disappearance prompted an overnight search operation which was conducted by the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard.

She has since been identified as Zowie Tomlinson, a student of the Pares Secondary School. Her body was recovered from the water at around 7 am on Sunday after search efforts resumed at first light.

According to the information, search and rescue operations began the night she disappeared but were suspended due to poor visibility and deteriorating sea conditions. The search resumed early Sunday morning, when members of the Coast Guard Dive Team located and recovered her body.

Tomlinson was taken to Coast Guard Headquarters at Deep Water Harbour, where a district doctor pronounced her dead at approximately 7:55am.

An online post purportedly by the young woman's best friend indicates she was on the scene when Tomlinson jumped. Taking to social media, Faith expressed her deep sadness over her best friend's untimely death. “I was right there and I saw it happen, I saw my best friend,” she said while crying. The teenager further added, “But yeah, thank you for all of their condolences and condolences to you as well, because you guys lost a friend.

The Antigua and Barbuda Royal Police Force confirmed that they have launched an active investigation into the incident which has left the community in shock. Locals took to Facebook to express their condolences with Garfield Whaul noting, “Mental health is real and we have a lot of people dealing with this issue. Condolences to her family and friends.” Another said, “Only when things happens people react. Whatever she was going through, there were signs. I am so sorry her story had to end like that. My prayers go out to her family.”