Sightseeing boat which crashed killing girl made 'high speed manoeuvres'
A sightseeing boat which crashed killing a 15-year-old girl made "high-speed" manoeuvres and was not following "safe working practices", according to a report into the accident.
Emily Lewis was among 12 people taken to hospital after the boat collided with a buoy in the Solent on August the 22nd last year. An inquest opened into her death heard she was taken to Southampton General Hospital where she died despite attempts to save her life.
A report released by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) revealed that the teenager was "catapulted into the handrail directly in front of her seat" when the Rib crashed into the North-West Netley buoy in Southampton Water at a speed of 38.4 knots.
The interim report highlighted "urgent safety considerations", stating: "During the trip the passengers became accustomed to passing close by large navigation buoys at speed which resulted in them being unconcerned at the crafts approach to the buoy and so did not attempt to alert the skipper".
The MAIB has now called on all high-speed craft operators to review their risk assessments and working practices under its voluntary Code of Practice (CoP) to prevent similar accidents.The inquest hearing last year was told that Emily, who died of an upper abdominal injury, was accompanied to hospital by her father, Simon Lewis, from the Park Gate area of Southampton. It is understood that Emily's father, mother Nikki and 19-year-old sister Amy were also on the boat, and that both her mother and sister suffered broken arms.