Boat operations at Bournemouth Pier have been temporarily halted following the tragic deaths of a young lady and a teenage boy. Joe Abbess, a 17-year-old from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, a 12-year-old from Buckinghamshire, each handed away within the hospital after an incident that happened final week. An inquest has advised that a riptide may have triggered the pair to drown. The suspension of boat operations will stay in effect till the conclusion of a police investigation.
Cancel anytime have acknowledged that they are contemplating all potentialities, together with weather conditions and water state, and have dismissed hypothesis that the victims had jumped from the pier. The incident concerned ten swimmers on a day when the seashore was crowded as a end result of half-term break. The Dorset Belle sightseeing boat was impounded by the police shortly after the incident, but they’ve clarified that it is simply one of several traces of inquiry.
The police additionally confirmed that not one of the swimmers have been involved in any collisions or contact with vessels within the water. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has not launched a proper investigation however continues to make inquiries.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have acknowledged that the suspension of boat operations from the pier is a precautionary measure whereas the police investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the council said, “We are conscious the investigation is complicated and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is full.”
A man in his 40s, who was on the water at the time of the incident, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but has since been released whereas inquiries continue. In a hearing at Bournemouth Town Hall, Dorset coroner’s officer Nicola Muller revealed that post-mortem examinations identified drowning as the purpose for the deaths. She additionally stated that emergency companies had been contacted by members of the general public after suggestions that the pair had been caught in a riptide. Riptides are robust currents that can rapidly drag people and objects away from the shore and into deeper waters.
Joe Abbess’ household described him as “a fabulous young man,” while Sunnah Khan’s mom, Stephanie Williams, paid tribute to her “beautiful daughter” on Twitter. She wrote, “No mother or father ought to ever need to undergo what her dad and I are going through. We love you a lot baby girl.”