TOURISTS were crammed onto an “overpacked” holiday boat which reeked of petrol and “didn’t feel safe” before it exploded killing a British teen, witnesses told The Sun.
, 16, from Swindon, died in the “terrible accident” while on a family holiday in the .
More than 30 people were on the boat when it exploded Credit: Collect
Abbie Lainton died in hospital three days after the explosion Credit: Gofundme
Her two siblings were also injured in the incident and remain in hospital.
Abbie and burst into flames off the coast of the Caribbean island.
She was rushed to intensive care on July 27 but died three days later.
Authorities said 24 people were injured with 11 taken to hospital for treatment for burns.
Witnesses told The Sun that the boat was crammed full of people and smelt of petrol before it set off.
Gisell Segovia, 22, and her husband Navin Torres, 35, saw Abbie badly injured after the explosion.
Navin and his wife had come on holiday to celebrate his birthday but ended up burnt and traumatised in the horror accident.
The boat was bringing tourists back from a trip to the popular Saona Island, a tropical idyll in the Cotubanamá National Park.
Abbie’s two siblings were also injured in the blast and they are still in hospital Credit: Gofundme
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion that killed Abbie Credit: Instagram/ @swindon_lightning_cheer
Gisell told The Sun that the boat “smelled like gasoline” and was “over-packed” from the start, but said the crew reassured her it was safe.
She said: “We told the captain it smelled like gasoline and he was like, ‘Oh, no, no, it’s fine’.
And it was a lot of people. I feel like they overpacked us.”
She said it “didn’t feel safe” to have so many people on such a small boat for so long, adding: “It could last a five minute ride, but I think it was around 30 minutes.”
Gisell said the overpacked boat was the only time they had been offered a life jacket but that “a lot of people didn’t have their life jackets buckled on right”.
And Navin revealed that passengers heard a terrifying “pop” after their vessel suddenly sped up to “keep up with the other boats”.
Then the boat suddenly blew up.
Navin said: “The front of the boat exploded. It took me a couple of seconds to analyse what was going on the fire started spreading towards me and my wife.”
The tourist boat carrying around 35 people burst into flames on July 27 Credit: Collect
He was terrified for his wife, saying: “I was very upset and I was scared for my wife because she can’t swim.”
Gisell said: “All I remember was like hearing a pop noise. And then the people sitting on the left side of the boat, they flew off their seats, including the benches that they were sitting on.
“Everything started flying and boat pieces that were on fire started flying everywhere. My husband, he got cut and burned on the side of his forehead with one of the pieces.”
She said everyone was crying and screaming as winds whipped up the fire.
She added: “A lot of people didn’t have their life jackets buckled on right. So it was just horrible.
“A lot of people, they didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know what was happening because it happened so quick.”
Her husband told her to jump into the sea.
But Gisell was terrified – she can’t swim.
As Navin threw Gisell off the boat to save her from the flames all the other passengers leapt into the ocean before being rescued by other boats.
She said: “If he hadn’t thrown me off the boat, I wouldn’t have had the balls to jump out into the water.”
The couple both had first degree burns in the accident and Navin needed stitches after a piece of debris hit him.
Gisell passed out in the water and her husband pulled her to safety.
But others were much more seriously injured.
Gisell said: “The three Puerto Rican girls, one of them had a broken foot.
“There was these other two men from New York, one of them has spinal injuries and he doesn’t know if he’s paralyzed. His friend has a broken foot.”
She said people continued to board boats after the accident to start their excursions and that Booking.com had not been made aware of the accident by the boat company until she reached out.
Before the excursion listing was taken down from Booking.com yesterday, reviews posted in July referenced the accident.
One read: “Well, our boat literally exploded on our way back from the island, so I would say 100% not worth it. We have broken legs.”
Another said the boat had exploded on their birthday, leaving them with “multiple spinal fractures” and their son with burns.
Gisell said she remembered Abbie “because of her eyes”, adding that they were “beautiful”.
An official in the Dominican Republic said: “It was an accident at sea and was very tragic.
“The young lady and her injured siblings were moved immediately to the hospital in the city of La Romana but sadly the she did not survive.
“Despite the best efforts of medical staff she did not make it. Her injured siblings are continuing to be looked after in the hospital.”
“People are rallying around to help in any way they can. A tragedy like this touches everyone on our island.”
They added: “We will offer every assistance that we can during this sorrowful time. Our prayers are with the family.”
More than 30 people were on board at the time, including the captain, a tour guide and a sailor.
Authorities have not yet revealed the cause of the fire but have launched an .
Plans are being made to try to repatriate Abbie’s body.
Hospital director Jose Lopez where 16 of the boat blaze victims were taken, revealed to local press shortly before her death a British tourist was among four people in intensive care.
The other three people in intensive care at the time were identified as the ship’s captain, an assistant and a tour guide.
Lopez said: “Apart from the three Dominicans, the victims were Canadian, English, German, Puerto Rican and a Uruguayan couple.
“All have responded positively.”
Another seven people were taken to a second nearby hospital but staff there confirmed all had survived.
A page, set up to help Abbie’s family, has already received more than £19,000 in donations .
Excursion organisers Go Paradise DR said: “First and foremost, we deeply regret the loss suffered by the Laiton family, including the death of Abbie Laiton, as well as the loss of all those affected by the incident on the Costa Romantica vessel, which was declared by the authorities to be an accident caused by a mechanical failure.
“The product has been removed from the booking platforms.
“This incident has left a tremendous mark on us as individuals, as well as on our clients. It is an experience that no one should have to endure and that no one deserves.”
An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: “Our thoughts are with the Lainton family during this difficult time.
“We are providing consular support to the family and assisting other British nationals and their families affected by the incident.”
The Sun contacted Booking.com and Costa Romantica Excursions for comment.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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