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| Father tells how boat propeller killed son | Father tells how boat propeller killed son |
| (25 days later) | |
| A father has described how his 14-year-old son died in his arms after he became entangled in a propeller having been thrown from their speedboat during a day trip. Charlie Hutton and two friends were on board the rigid inflatable boat driven by his father Simon when they were hit by a large wave close to the Needles rocks off the Isle of Wight. | A father has described how his 14-year-old son died in his arms after he became entangled in a propeller having been thrown from their speedboat during a day trip. Charlie Hutton and two friends were on board the rigid inflatable boat driven by his father Simon when they were hit by a large wave close to the Needles rocks off the Isle of Wight. |
| Charlie, a keen hockey player from South Croydon, fell into the water along with a friend. His father, a graphic designer and keen boatman, said the boat was hit by two waves at the side causing him to slow down before it was hit by a large wave at the front. | Charlie, a keen hockey player from South Croydon, fell into the water along with a friend. His father, a graphic designer and keen boatman, said the boat was hit by two waves at the side causing him to slow down before it was hit by a large wave at the front. |
| He said: "It was choppy but nothing the boat couldn't handle. The two [waves] came from the side and then the water almost dropped away. It was like there was a big drop and then the wave came over us, it was like a big wall of water. I have never come across a wave like it, it engulfed the boat." | He said: "It was choppy but nothing the boat couldn't handle. The two [waves] came from the side and then the water almost dropped away. It was like there was a big drop and then the wave came over us, it was like a big wall of water. I have never come across a wave like it, it engulfed the boat." |
| Hutton said he believed Charlie was washed off the back of the boat. He said: "I still can't work out how Charlie got where he got." The friend who had been washed overboard suffered an ankle injury but was able to get back on board. | Hutton said he believed Charlie was washed off the back of the boat. He said: "I still can't work out how Charlie got where he got." The friend who had been washed overboard suffered an ankle injury but was able to get back on board. |
| However, Hutton told the inquest at Newport on the Isle of Wight that he remembered looking back and screaming: "Where's Charlie?" He said his mind was "buzzing" as he realised that what he thought had been a metre square patch of oil was blood. | However, Hutton told the inquest at Newport on the Isle of Wight that he remembered looking back and screaming: "Where's Charlie?" He said his mind was "buzzing" as he realised that what he thought had been a metre square patch of oil was blood. |
| The boy had become tangled in the propeller. He said: "Charlie was conscious and looking at me, I tried to pull Charlie on to the boat but couldn't. I saw his head bobbing, he was saying: 'Dad, help me.'" | The boy had become tangled in the propeller. He said: "Charlie was conscious and looking at me, I tried to pull Charlie on to the boat but couldn't. I saw his head bobbing, he was saying: 'Dad, help me.'" |
| Hutton said that he managed to cut Charlie's clothing from the propeller and pulled him on to the boat where he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He could see that the boy had suffered two wounds to the top of his legs. | Hutton said that he managed to cut Charlie's clothing from the propeller and pulled him on to the boat where he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He could see that the boy had suffered two wounds to the top of his legs. |
| The father said: "His eyes were open and he was looking at me. I tried to protect his face and told him I loved him, we all loved him. I could see Charlie's eyes begin to roll, his breathing became shallow. I think he died at this point." Hutton said he phoned his wife, Gill, and told her: "I think I have killed Charlie." | The father said: "His eyes were open and he was looking at me. I tried to protect his face and told him I loved him, we all loved him. I could see Charlie's eyes begin to roll, his breathing became shallow. I think he died at this point." Hutton said he phoned his wife, Gill, and told her: "I think I have killed Charlie." |
| The inquest heard that Charlie was airlifted to Southampton General hospital where he was pronounced dead. A postmortem examination showed he died of multiple injuries to his pelvis and left leg. | The inquest heard that Charlie was airlifted to Southampton General hospital where he was pronounced dead. A postmortem examination showed he died of multiple injuries to his pelvis and left leg. |
| Hutton said that he did not feel he had been driving the £50,000 boat at excessive speed when the accident happened on 20 July last year. But he said that if the propeller had been fitted with a guard his son would probably have survived. He said: "If I had been aware of them I would probably have had one fitted." | Hutton said that he did not feel he had been driving the £50,000 boat at excessive speed when the accident happened on 20 July last year. But he said that if the propeller had been fitted with a guard his son would probably have survived. He said: "If I had been aware of them I would probably have had one fitted." |
| Caroline Sumeray, the Isle of Wight coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death and called on the leisure boating industry to promote the use of propeller guards to prevent further similar accidents. She said: "He was a very talented and lovely looking boy and I hope there will be lessons learnt from Charlie's death." | Caroline Sumeray, the Isle of Wight coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death and called on the leisure boating industry to promote the use of propeller guards to prevent further similar accidents. She said: "He was a very talented and lovely looking boy and I hope there will be lessons learnt from Charlie's death." |
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