Family weep as they watch video of fatal accident

The family of a 14-year-old girl who died after becoming trapped under a capsized speedboat wept at the inquest into her death.

Emily Gardner from Gloucester was on holiday in Devon with her friend's family when the accident happened.

Family members - including her parents Clive and Deborah - stood in silence as they watched a 15 minute webcam video of the boat launch, it's capsize and the rescue.

The boat launched from Brixham Harbour but soon after passing the breakwater the 18 foot boat capsized.

Emily was trapped after her buoyancy aid got caught to a cleat at the back of the boat when it overturned.

The inquest in Torquay heard that Emily had been a passenger in the speedboat along with Holly Pritchard and Gemma Gadsden, two 15 year old friends who managed to swim clear of the upturned hull.

The main Torbay lifeboat and an inshore lifeboat were launched within 23 minutes of the capsize.

A crane aboard the main lifeboat pulled the submerged speedboat from the sea – and Emily was cut free and rushed to hospital.

Attempts were made to resuscitate her for 80 minutes but she was ‘very cold’ and had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Coroner Ian Arrow told the jury that ‘no one or any organisation was on trial here’ and they were not to rule on ‘liability or apportion blame’.