Speedboat crash: husband tried to turn vessel at high speed

A television executive and his daughter were killed in a speedboat accident after he reached across his wife and tried to execute a "an exceptionally unusual" tight, high-speed turn, an official investigation has concluded.

Nick Milligan, who was a senior executive with BskyB, his wife Victoria and their four children were thrown into the water. Because Mrs Milligan, who was driving the vessel, was not wearing a kill cord designed to stop the boat in an emergency, it circled the family at full power, striking several of them, the investigation found.

Mr Milligan, who had been drinking wine but was not above the drink-drive limit, and his daughter Emily, eight, died in the accident in Cornwall. Mrs Milligan and their four-year-old son, Kit, suffered what were described by police as "life-changing injuries".

The report from the government's Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the Milligans did not have a "good understanding" of how the boat, which can travel at more than 50mph, would perform in a high-powered turn. It said the couple, who had undertaken Royal Yachting Association powerboat training, were also unaware of the hazards of their children standing or sitting in the front of the Rib (rigid-hulled inflatable boat).

Investigators concluded that the use of kill cords was still too sporadic among boat users and recommended that the boat's the manufacturer look at the design of the hull.

The report detailed how the Milligans were taking their first trip of the summer on their eight-metre long rigid inflatable, Milly, in the Camel estuary between Rock and Padstow on 5 May last year.

Initially Mr Milligan drove with the kill cord attached to his leg. They landed at Padstow for lunch and Mr Milligan drank some wine. Soon after leaving Padstow the Milligans swapped positions, with Mrs Milligan taking the helm but not attaching the kill cord.

The report said: "The cord was probably not attached because the day's activities were almost at an end and her intention had been to return, at a moderate speed, to the boat's mooring."

But Mr Milligan suggested they go for another run along the estuary. The report said: "Mrs Milligan was reluctant to do so … However, due to encouragement from the children and Mr Milligan she began a slow wide turn. Mr Milligan reached across, in front of his wife, took the helm in his right hand and the throttle in his left and increased the engine throttle setting to full as he turned the helm to starboard."

The report called this high-powered tight turn "an exceptionally unusual manoeuvre for a recreational boat". The Milligans lost control and all six were flipped into the water.

The report added: "The manner in which Mr Milligan took the helm appears to have been out of character as he was known to be a safety conscious and prudent individual."

Investigators could not establish if the wine Mr Milligan had drunk adversely affected his judgment or his fine motor skills, but said his alcohol levels were well below the UK drink-drive limit.

During trials investigators found that Milly had "some undesirable handling characteristics in certain circumstances". The report suggested that the manufacturer of the boat, APV Marine, reviews the hull design of its Cobra range.

But the report concluded: "This accident had fatal consequences because the driver was not wearing a kill cord."

From 2005 up to and including this tragedy, the MAIB has been made aware of 21 accidents involving small high-speed craft that have circled or continued out of control because a kill cord was not used or was not properly connected. These have resulted in seven fatalities and 12 injuries.

The Milligan family said in a statement: "We are still coming to terms with this tragic accident which has left us without Nick, a loving husband, father, son and brother, and Emily, whose life was only just beginning. We sincerely hope that awareness of this accident will mean that another family does not have to go through anything similar."

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