Another fatal jet-ski accident

Young tourist died at sea on Saturday August 24 when his jet ski crashed violently with a boat near Marbella.

The Guardia Civil continue their investigation into what happened and why. The incident occurred at around 6pm on August 24, and the emergency services received a call saying that someone had been seriously injured, and so Civil Guard and Maritime Rescue were mobilised. The victim, a foreign man around 26 years old, could not be revived.

Rash of fatal accidents in Costa del Sol waters

There have been a rash of fatal accidents involving leisure craft in Costa del Sol waters over the last year, and especially involving jet skis. In July, a 7-year-old boy was killed when the jet ski his father was driving turned over on hitting a wave close to the shore of Marbella. In July last year, a 32-year-old tourist died after falling from the aquatic vehicle, off the coast of El Palo, Malaga, whilst trying to retrieve a hat from the water, and in August of last year, a French tourist lost his life in a similar accident off the coast of Fuengirola.

Safety concerns have been raised over the use of jet skis partly because they do not require training or a licence to rent and ride, and also because of a lack of speed control. As the sea around Spanish coasts falls under the jurisdiction of the Guardia Civil and not Local Police, there are insufficient resources to police jet skis once at sea.