Family reveals dad-of-one killed in Croydon tram crash was due to get married next year – as victims are named
ONE of the victims of the Croydon tram crash tragedy was due to get married next year.
Mark Smith, 35, had planned a summer ceremony with his Lithuanian fiancee Indre Novikovaite, 25, the mother of their 18-month-old son.
Last night her brother Osvaldas, 23, told The Sun: “They were planning to get married. My sister is completely devastated by this.”
Mum-of-two Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, and grandfather Philip Seary, 57, were yesterday also named as among the seven victims of the disaster.
The two-carriage tram came off the rails at 50mph on a 12mph bend at around 6am on Wednesday.
The driver, 42, has been released on police bail following his arrest on suspicion of manslaughter.
Dorota, of New Addington, has two young daughters aged five and seven. She was the only woman to die in the crash.
Friends described her as an “amazing mother” who always had a “special smile” on her face. Pal Asma Kazim said: “Dorota was full of life, caring and a funny girl. It is shocking news for us and I still can’t believe she has gone.”
Philip, also of New Addington, was said to be a “gentle giant”.
He was only on the tram after agreeing to swap shifts with a fellow electrical engineer at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Son-in-law Darren Mimms said: “As Phil was such a kind man he would do anything to help anybody.
Related stories
“It’s really hurting his wife. He shouldn’t have been on that tram.
“If he hadn’t have been at work he would have been doing bits and bobs around the house and looking after his granddaughter.”
Tributes were also paid online to keen fisherman Mark, of Coulsdon.
His cousin Tom Smith said on Facebook: "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.”
Accident investigators hope to have an interim report ready next week.
Cops are said to be probing whether the driver was on his phone or had “blacked out.”
