Speedboat skipper had time to avoid crash that killed girl, 15

A 15-year-old's death when a speedboat she was travelling on smashed into a buoy at high speed could have been avoided if the skipper had followed maritime guidelines, an inquest heard.

Michael Lawrence, 55, had enough time to direct his rigid inflatable boat (RIB) away from the metal floater before the crash sent Emily Lewis into the water off Southampton, according to investigators. 

Her inquest at Winchester has also heard that the operating company - Seadogz RIB Charter Limited - had been involved in thee previous accidents including one with 'remarkably similar circumstances'.

Mr Lawrence - nicknamed Mr Safe - was acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter at a trial in 2023 but was given an 18-week suspended sentence for failing to maintain a proper lookout and a safe speed.

Emily suffered fatal injuries after the boat the Lewis family were on ploughed straight into the 15ft floating device, leaving the teen with unsurvivable chest injuries as she was crushed against a metal handle.

Her heartbroken father Simon Lewis told the inquest today that her death has been 'nothing short of devastating' adding: 'We will never get to see her grow.'

Today, over four years after the accident, an inquest into Emily's death highlighted a variety of concerns over maritime policy and safety procedures which were not adhered to by boating company Seadogz RIB Charter Limited.

An investigation by the Maritime Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) was led by Captain Emma Tiller who said Mr Lawrence could have moved the Lewis family to mitigate risk.

Failing that, she also said the skipper had enough time to change course anyway had he looked at the buoy soon enough.

Mr Lewis and his wife Nikki had taken their daughters Emily and Amy on the Seadogz Ltd speedboat ride on Southampton Water, Hampshire, on August 22, 2020 as a summer holidays treat.

The horror smash happened at around 10am, when the boat collided with a buoy at 42mph.

Capt Tiller said Mr Lawrence could have refused the Lewis family their trip, or adjusted the route, in accordance with guidance set out in Active marine guidance notes (MGN).

She said this would have 'accommodated their reduced ability to maintain postural stability'.

The inspector highlighted how it was found Emily and her family should not have been assigned their seats in the vessel due to their 'physical size and dimensions' which meant they were 'unable to effectively brace themselves while using the seat'.

'The bench seat did not represent a safe and secure location for Emily, her mother and sister as none of them were able to put their feet on the RIB's deck at the same time as having their backs against the seat's backrest,' she explained.

Capt Tiller said the 'high-speed' of the ride - designed to thrill passengers - could also have minimised participants ability to 'alert the skipper to an impending hazard'.

She added Mr Lawrence may have had a 'negative startle response' when 'he suddenly observed the buoy ahead, or immediately after, the impact during the accident'.

This could have impacted his ability to 'coordinate the emergency response', she told the inquest.

Referring to the MAIB report, she said: 'The decision to operate Seadogz at high speed in the vicinity of the outbound Red Falcon significantly reduced the time its skipper had to see the North-West Netley buoy in the period before the accident.

'Nonetheless, given the RIB's manoeuvrability, the 14 seconds when the buoy would have been visible before the impact should have still provided the skipper with sufficient time to take avoiding action had he seen the buoy early enough.'

Capt Tiller, who has carried out some 30 investigations for the MAIB also said the skipper Mr Lawrence may have 'lost positional awareness in the moments before the accident' and became 'desensitised to the risks of high-speed RIB operations'. 

She said Mr Lawrence was dealing with a 'high mental workload' at the time of the accident due to operating the vessel 'alone at high speed near other marine assets'.

A total of 11 passengers from the Seadogz vessel were treated at hospital, with Mrs Lewis suffering a broken wrist, Amy suffering a broken arm, and Emily dying later that day from catastrophic chest injuries.

Henry Charles, assistant coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, today said he may issue a warning in light of the evidence.

'It will be as no surprise that I have concerns arising from what I have read and heard today about the provisions of safety,' he said.

Paying tribute to his daughter, Mr Lewis today told an inquest at Winchester Coroners Court, Hants, that Emily was a 'clever girl' who was 'fierce' when sticking up for her 'loved ones'.

'Emily was a very kind and thoughtful person with an amazing ability to make people feel loved which transcended her young age,' he said.

'Emily was incredibly creative and decorated her room in her own style and she loved music, and loved to discover music and share with us as a family.'

Mr Lewis, a delivery hub manager, said at secondary school Emily was assigned the role of student support worker and strived to create a 'safe space' for her classmates.

He described his daughter's death as 'nothing short of devastating' and spoke of how he and his family will never get to see where her 'forthright views and conviction' will take her in the world.

'We don't get to see her grow,' he said.

'Amy will never get to be auntie Amy to Emily's children, or have her sister or best friends at her wedding.

'No one expects to outlive their children.

'She is missed by all that knew her and the world feels like a worse place without her in it.'

Her sister, Amy, was 18 years old at the time of the horror accident.

Amy told the inquest: 'I just think it's important that everyone maybe understands how emotionally intelligent and caring and kind she was - and the difference she made to my life.

'I never imagined that I wouldn't be able to have a sister with me for the rest of my life. It's deeply sad without her and I miss her.'

Assistant coroner Henry Charles adjourned the hearing to be concluded on Thursday.