close
close

A coroner is calling for a change in laws after a girl died in a speedboat accident

A coroner is calling for a change in laws after a girl died in a speedboat accident

A coroner has said he will write to the Secretary of State for Transport to call for changes to the rules on high-speed thrill rides following an inquest into the death of a 15-year-old girl after a speedboat collided with a navigation buoy.

Emily Lewis suffered fatal injuries after her Seadogz Rigid Inflatable Boat (Rib) collided with a 4.5m buoy in Southampton Water on August 22, 2020, and a number of other passengers suffered serious injuries.

Seadogz tour boatSeadogz tour boat

Seadogz tour boat that crashes, kills Emily Lewis (MAIB/PA)

An autopsy revealed that she died from injuries to her upper abdomen, sustained when she was thrown forward from the bench she was sitting on when Rib collided with the buoy.

At the Winchester inquest, Deputy Coroner Henry Charles wrote narrative conclusions which highlighted issues raised by the Maritime Accidents Investigation Branch (MAIB) in its investigation into the disaster.

The coroner noted the skipper’s lack of visibility from the helm at the rear of the vessel and the fact that the skipper operated the Rib alone, without an additional crew member to keep the watch.

He said this was contrary to the recommendations of the Small Commercial Vessels (SCV) Code.

Charles said: “The skipper lost positional awareness moments before the accident. This was most likely due to a combination of desensitization to the risks associated with high-speed rib surgery and the heavy mental strain of operating Seadogz alone and in close proximity to other marine resources.”

Other issues raised included inappropriate seats and handholds used on the rib to help passengers stay upright and avoid injury, and the company’s risk assessment, which Mr Charles described as “cursory and general”.

The investigation established that Seadogz had been involved in three previous similar accidents, from which Mr Charles said he had not drawn any conclusions and was citing the MAIB.

He added that the events of August 22, 2020 were “an accident waiting to happen.”

Charles said there is a “complex patchwork” of regulations governing the maritime industry, which is “complex and subject to interpretation.”

He explained that for his report to help prevent future deaths, he would engage with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Secretary of State for Transport and other regulatory agencies.

Charles said the MAIB had raised concerns that the sector lacked “adequate standards and oversight” despite previous fatal incidents.

He said: “Perhaps surprisingly, the consultation paper to review the SCV regulations will not be released until next year, with no clear evidence as to when it will be finalized and revised.

“This leaves the MAIB recommendations unanswered and unimplemented.”

Dominique Smith, attorney for Emily’s family, urged the coroner to present a conclusion of unlawful killing.

She said: “We believe that the captain’s behavior from start to finish can be considered shocking and extremely grossly negligent.”

Michael Lawrence, 55, who was driving the boat, was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence, but guilty of failing to keep a proper watch and failing to drive at a safe speed.

Michael Howley, 52, owner of the now-defunct Seadogz, which operated boat tours, was convicted of improperly operating a boat.

In March 2023, they were both sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to 18 weeks’ detention suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 125 hours of community service and ordered to pay court costs of £1,000.

Emily’s parents, Simon and Nikki, and sister Amy, said in a statement after the hearing: “We are disappointed that the coroner did not conclude that an illegal killing had occurred, but we appreciate his narrative in which he describes the horrific events of August 22, 2020 in detail .

“Mr Lawrence has never truly faced justice for his actions and has once again failed to accept and acknowledge his role in the death of our beloved daughter Emily.

“However, we are pleased that the coroner has identified lessons that need to be learned from to prevent something like this from happening again.

“The coroner, in his own words, said Emily’s death “was not only a tragedy for you, but I think it was a tragedy for society.”

They said they were waiting with “interest” for the Secretary of Transportation’s response.

They added: “Nothing can bring our Emily back. We miss her every day.

“We take comfort in the knowledge that her death is not senseless and we are confident that another family like ours will not experience the same tragedy as us.”

Captain Emma Tiller, an MAIB investigator, told the hearing that the Rib, which was fully certified, was performing a “thrilling” ride for 11 passengers at speeds in excess of 40 knots.

Capt. Tiller said the route included closely passing a buoy and crossing the wake of the Red Falcon ferry five times.

Shortly after the ferry’s fifth crossing of the Isle of Wight, the Rib struck the North West Netley buoy at a speed of 38.4 knots.

The hearing was told Lawrence had 14 seconds to spot the buoy but did not do so and took no action to avoid it.

A DfT spokesman said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts remain with Emily’s loved ones.

“The Transport Secretary will await the coroner’s letter and will respond in an appropriate manner in due course.”