Croydon tram crash – Mum-of-three, football fan and young dad named among seven victims
A DEVASTATED family has been ripped apart after an "amazing" mum was feared to be among the seven victims of the Croydon tram crash.
Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, was on her daily commute to Euston when the tram derailed at high speeds killing at least six other people on Wednesday.
The devoted mum has two daughters aged five and seven with professional golf player husband Andrezej.
The couple moved to New Addington from Poland ten years ago for a better life.
Devastated family say her death hasn't been confirmed but they fear the worse as it has been 48 hours since the crash.
“Everybody is shocked by this tragedy. There will be two little daughters who will now grow up without their mother.
“She was an amazing mother and definitely a hard-working person. She was on her way to work so early in the morning to provide for her kids.”
Her worried husband was visited by British Transport Police who are engaged in the “lengthy and complex” process of identifying the victims.
Formerly head coach at one of Poland’s top private clubs and a member of the Professional Golfing Association, he told the Times: “Nothing has been confirmed yet.”
Husband-to-be Mark Smith is the latest victim to be named.
The tragic dad had a baby boy was was engaged to Indre Novikovaite.
Mark's cousin Tom Smith said: "Mark Smith Still cannot believe this is true, the last couple of days have just felt like a nightmare that I'm gonna wake up from.
"Not only were you my cousin but literally my best friend.
"The thought that we are all never gonna see you or hear from you again makes me feel sick.
"We are all in bits and I just wish you could walk back into your home with that smile on your face and make everyone laugh.
"I know I have made new family in Indre Novikovaite and Osvaldas Novikovas but I would give everything if you could come back and join us bro.
"See you one day for that catch up we kept talking about."
Grandfather Philip Seary, 57, also died on his way to work when the tram careered off the tracks. The Crystal Palace superfan hadn't even been due to work but agreed to cover a shift at the Royal Opera House for a colleague.
He was one of the last passengers to be released from the wreckage following a five-hour operation by specialist rescue crews.
The father-of-three and Crystal Palace fan nicknamed 'Tank', lived with his wife Vivian in New Addington.
Son in law Darren Mimms said: "He was only on the tram because he'd agreed to swap shifts.
"He was on his way to work, he wasn't rotated but he was asked to cover a shift.
"As Phil was such a kind man he would do anything to help anybody.
"It's really hurting his wife. He shouldn't have been on that tram.
"He found out the day before he had to go into work that day.
"If he hadn't have been at work he would have been doing bits and bobs around the house and looking after his granddaughter.
"Ann's not blaming anybody."
He continued: "One of the high up people from the Royal Opera House is coming down today to offer their condolences and offer anything they can do.
"Ann is really hoping to wake up from this horrible dream.
"She was planning to retire next year. She has worked as a teaching assistant at Rowdown Primary School for 27 years.
"They were hoping to go travelling. Being American she wanted to see more of Europe and that was their plan.
"We are in complete devastated shock.
"A lot of people knew and liked him. He's been a huge Crystal Palace fan his whole life.
"He proposed to his wife because of Crystal Palace. He had said that if Palace got into the FA cup final he would get married.
"He was in america in 1990 when this happened and he turned around in bed and asked Anne to marry him. They've been married for 26 years."
Phil and Ann have three daughters Martha, 43, Erica, 31, Karina, 29, and four grandchildren, four great grandchildren and another on the way.
In a statement the family said: "We as a family are in shock, completely heartbroken and utterly devastated.
"We have lost a much loved wonderful son, faithful husband and a loving and doting father and grandfather.
"Everyone that knew him he was a gentle giant with a heart to match. He was a devoted Crystal Palace fan and well known locally.
";He will be immensely missed by all that had the great fortune to know him."
Teen football fan Dane Chinnery, 19, was named as the first victim of the Croydon tram crash.
Friends and family paid tribute to the Crystal Palace fan as it emerged a young child is also thought to be among the victims.
Lloyd Allen wrote: “ A lovely caring beautiful inside and out young man was taken far too soon yesterday.
“I never heard a bad word about him or him have a bad word to say about anyone.
“He was a credit to everyone in the Chinnery-Hall family.
“Gonna miss you lovely boy.”
Conner Lawrence wrote on Facebook: “ Words can’t even begin to describe how we are all feeling.
“Dane is the funniest boy I’ve ever met in my life.
“If anyone ever needed anything he'd be there doing all he can to help.”
Fans of Crystal Palace are now trying to arrange a tribute to the teen who was on his way to work at flood response firm Hydro Cleansing Ltd.
One wrote: “The life of our brother was taken from him. Aged 19, Dane lost his life with the tram crash on his way to work.
"He was red, white and blue all the way through, and simply loved Palace.”
Tom Dale, 20, was on the tram and recalled nodding over to his old school friend Mr Chinnery, who was already sitting on the tram when he boarded.
The pair, who went to Addington High School together and took part in performing arts, were on their way to work.
Mr Dale said that after the tram crashed he was looking for his friend, and asking, "Where's Dane? Where's Dane?", but all he could see was Mr Chinnery's boot where he had been sitting.
"It was like walking out of a war zone," the chef said.
Mr Dale, who was badly bruised, said of Mr Chinnery: "He was just a friendly, genuine lad, did no harm to nobody really. No one deserves for this to happen to them."
The family of victim Dane were today too distraught to speak about their loss.
More than 50 people were injured when the tram crashed just after 6am in east Croydon on Wednesday morning.
The driver, a 42-year-old man from Beckenham, was freed on conditional police bail.
Meanwhile, a survivor of the crash has recalled the horrific moment he was trapped under a door when the tram "tumbled" off the rails.
Dad-of-four Taiye Ajibola continues to have flashbacks and remembers two women flying unconscious next to him and others who had died.
He said: "The speed was very, very high. It was too much. By the time it came out of the tunnel I just saw it tumble, and at that time everybody was just everywhere.
"There was a black out, and then I was struggling to get myself out. I was under the door of the tram and there were two women next to me.
"I tried to move them, but they weren't responding. So I managed to squeeze myself out. This guy was saying to me, 'I'm still alive, please don't step on me'. The door was on him too and he couldn't move."
The school councillor added: "When I'm alone, it comes to me quick, the flashbacks to the tram. I was looking out of the window earlier, my wife could see what was going on in my head.
"People were scared, everybody was crying, shouting, screaming, I can still hear it. But some people were already gone. Some were just lying there and they couldn't even talk.
"A girl was sitting down she was holding on to herself crying so I said 'stand up and follow me'."
Taiye was left with bruising and broken glass in his hands and his shirt was "soaking wet with rain and blood".
The injured survivors were rushed to St George's Hospital in south west London and Croydon University Hospital.
Some of the 20 wounded at St Georges have reportedly had limbs amputated.
The medical director of Croydon University Hospital Dr Nnenna Osuji said the crash had "rocked our community".
She added: "We were exceedingly busy but actually I think at the end of yesterday we had a sombre moment.
"Time for reflection.
"And I think when the horror of what had happened had really hit, quite a few staff members were very quiet.
"Obviously we'll have support for our staff members but, more than that actually, speaking to the relatives who were here at the end of the day when the news was not as good, it was a really sombre moment."
The father of two, who was among 51 injured when the tram came off rails and careered on to its side, said: “A man next to me had no head.
“Every time I close my eyes that is all I see — his body.”
Fellow passengers on the early morning Croydon Tramlink service in South London told how one man was flung through a window.
Others were left trapped and screaming in the wreckage.
Cleaner Martin Bamford, 30, said after police arrested the driver for suspected manslaughter: “There was a girl who was on top of me and she did not look very much alive at all.
“She was bleeding all over the place. I don’t think she made it.
“People had broken legs and head injuries. There was blood everywhere. It was carnage.”
The dad-of-four, who lives in New Addington where the tram had set off, yelled to the driver to ask if he was OK.
Martin revealed: “He just said, ‘I think I blacked out’.”
A source close to the probe into the horror said the driver told police the same.
Martin told how he thought the tram was travelling at up to 60mph.
The cleaner, who was injured and taken to Croydon University Hospital, said: “Normally the bend would be taken at six or seven miles an hour.
“This felt like 50 or 70. It just sling-shotted everyone to the other side of the carriage, people on top of people.”
The tram had set off at 5.40am bound for Wimbledon.
It crashed in East Croydon just after 6am.
The speed limit for the sharp left turn at Sandilands is 12mph.
The Rail Accident Investigation Board said the tram was thought to have been going “significantly faster”.
More than 100 emergency workers battled for six hours to free everyone from the wrecked tram.
The last of those trapped was taken to hospital at around midday.
As rescuers raced against time PM Theresa May praised their efforts dealing with the “terrible incident”.
Passengers were taken to two hospitals — with 43 described as “walking wounded”.
Eight others with severe injuries included three who were left fighting for life.
Surgeons were battling to save them, raising fears the death toll could rise.
Survivor Rui, who has caught the tram every day for a year, was heading to work in Kingston.
He suffered a sprained arm and bruised foot — and told how screaming commuters were “thrown about like toys in a box”.
He said: “I’ve been getting trams for 9½ years and never felt them go that fast.
“I was sat on my phone on Facebook and suddenly everything was pitch black.
“There was just screaming and moaning. People were everywhere on the floor.
“I wanted to call my wife but my phone was broken.
“Everyone started reaching for their phones.
“I asked a man if I could borrow his.
“I called my wife and told her. ‘I’m OK but a lot of people are not’.
“It took about ten minutes for an ambulance to arrive, then another five minutes for them to break in. They got in through the back window.
“People were banging on the walls of the tram, screaming and begging for water.
“The police let people out and started to give first aid to those who were bleeding.
“We waited for the people who needed help the most to be taken away then we were taken by bus to the hospital.”
“In one way I am very lucky. I have been slightly hurt. Maybe my hoodie protected my head.
“But for others it is much worse. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones.”
He told how the journey started out like any other, saying: “Every day it is the same faces and everyone nods at each other politely.
“You say ‘hello’ because you get the tram with these people every day.
“Normally there is a woman with two children young children who gets on.
“Luckily in recent weeks I haven’t seen her.”
Fellow survivor Nathan Gibson, 21, posted a Facebook snap of blood pouring from his cut eye.
The railworker, who also suffered from bruises to his head, said drily: “Not the best look to have today. Some a lot more worse off.”
His brother later described him as “traumatised”.
It emerged commuters had a lucky escape at the same bend just over a week ago.
Andy Nias told how he was left terrified on the tram.
He even posted on Facebook: “Tram driver took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph!! I swear the tram lifted onto one side.”
The tram’s version of an aircraft black box was being examined.
British Transport Police assistant chief constable Robin Smith said: “A blackout, falling asleep and a wet track are all being looked into.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who toured the crash scene, said: “All of our thoughts go out to the families of those who lost their lives.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan also made a visit.
The Croydon Tramlink is the capital’s only tram network.
It operates from Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington, via Croydon.
It is run by Tram Operations Limited, a subsidiary of First Group. Transport for London is responsible for tram frequency, overall performance, maintenance and improvement work.
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