14-Year-Old Boy Tragically Killed by Unlicensed Speedboat While Snorkeling on Family's Round-the-World Adventure

A TEEN boy was killed by a “fast-moving, unlicensed” speedboat while snorkelling on a round-the-world trip with his family, an inquest heard.

Eddie Jarman, 14, had been checking the anchor of his family’s yacht off the coast of Mo’orea near Tahiti in 2020 when the horror unfolded.

Eddie was snorkelling when he was struck by a speedboatCredit: Not known clear with picture desk The family were on a round-the-world trip Credit: Collect

An inquest heard he was struck by a five metre-long speedboat piloted by a local man with his girlfriend as he swam in the sea.

The boat’s propeller hit the teen – causing catastrophic injuries to his chest and head.

Eddie was taken ashore where emergency crews battled to save him for an hour.

Tragically, the talented musician was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

Eddie suffered unsurvivable injuries Credit: Just Giving The family were in Tahiti at the time (stock image) Credit: Getty

A manslaughter investigation into his death was launched in Tahiti though the case was later dismissed by a judge.

Eddie’s parents Harry Jarman and Barbara Genda today slammed the decision not to charge boat driver.

Harry and Barbara said the boat was travelling “too fast” and “too close” to them and believe the driver had been “drunk and recklessly” at the time of the accident.

They also hit out at the investigation carried out by in French Polynesia and claimed it was flawed.

Barbara said Eddie, who was swimming with an orange snorkel with a red tip, had been clearly visible to other sailors in the area.

She told the court: “There was a witness in a boat 50 metres away so it is inconceivable that the driver who drove over him couldn’t see him.”

The inquest also heard that while the boat was mechanically sound, the pilot did not posses the adequate navigation licence which had expired.

The Jarman family embarked on a trip of a lifetime two years ago when they sold their Sussex home, bought a yacht and set off to sail the world.

At the time of the tragedy on August 9, 2020, they were anchored in Opunohu Bay in the island of Mo’orea near Tahiti enjoying lunch.

Eddie told his family he was going to go snorkelling to check the anchor and see if he could find any interesting fish.

The court was told he was up to 15m away from the yacht in a navigation channel used by vessels to approach the beach.

Meanwhile, the couple in the speedboat were returning to the island of Mo’orea after sharing a bottle of wine at lunch.

They had also stayed up the night before until around 2am partying with friends, it was said.

Giving an interview to French Polynesian police, the unnamed speedboat pilot said he was driving through the middle of the navigation channel when he felt the boat hit something under the surface.

“I thought is that a piece of wood or a coconut or a turtle. That’s when I saw a body.”

The hearing was told the speedboat was thought to be travelling within the speed 20 knot speed limit in Opunohu Bay.

But dad Harry told police the pilot of the three tonne speedboat was coming at full speed down the navigation channel into the bay.

He added: “I thought: ‘He’s going too fast, much too close to us.’ The boat was practically skimming above the surface of the water. I turned round and thought: ‘He;’s crazy.’”

Barbara told the inquest said the boat was “planing” across the surface of the water and was likely to be travelling much faster.

Recalling the horror, Harry heard said she heard a woman screaming and saw her cradling Eddie in the water surrounded by blood.

The family saw Eddie had a gash to his head and that he appeared to be unconscious.

Blood samples were taken from the pilot and, despite having wine and drunk the night before, they came back negative for alcohol.

Eddie’s cause of death was haemorrhagic shock and a ruptured spleen.

Joe Turner, area coroner for West Sussex, Brighton and Hove considered whether the case merited a conclusion of gross negligence manslaughter but felt it did not reach the legal standard required.

He said it failed on the test of whether the evidence clearly showed the actions of the pilot had been “exceptionally bad” and “so reprehensible” that it justified a criminal sanction.

The coroner added: “Eddie died immediately after from injuries sustained when he was struck by a propeller of fast-moving, unlicensed speed boat when he was snorkelling in the vicinity his family’s boat.”

Eddie had been due to start a scholarship in January 2021 at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex, and played piano, violin and double bass to a high standard.