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Cornwall speedboat crash victim 'doted on family' | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A TV executive who died in a speedboat crash which also killed his daughter was a loving father who doted on his family, his brother has said. | |
BSkyB sales boss Nick Milligan, 51, and his eight-year-old daughter were thrown from the boat in the Camel Estuary, off Padstow, north Cornwall, on Sunday. | |
Four other family members struck by the boat were taken to hospital. | |
Police and the Coastguard praised "brave and heroic" efforts made by local people to rescue the family. | |
Round in circles | |
Supt Jim Colwell, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "If people hadn't come to their assistance in the manner they did, I'm confident that this incident would have been far worse in terms of the overall death toll." | |
The injured family members were hit by the boat while it was going round in circles. | |
The vessel was stopped after a local waterskiing instructor jumped on board. | The vessel was stopped after a local waterskiing instructor jumped on board. |
The four injured are a 39-year-old woman and a four-year-old boy - described as having serious, potentially life-changing injuries - and and two girls aged 10 and 12, who have minor injuries. All are said to have leg injuries of varying degrees of severity. | |
Mr Milligan's brother, Max, said his brother had built his dream family home in the area. | |
He told a press conference that Mr Milligan was an "extremely loving father, husband, son and brother, who doted on his family". | |
"As children and teenagers, we spent many summers and New Year's Eves in Cornwall," he said. | |
South London family | |
"That he and my delightful niece died in their favourite place at the end of a gloriously sunny bank holiday weekend provides us with a tiny glimmer of light." | |
The boat is owned by the family, who are from Wandsworth in south London, and have a holiday home in the area. | |
Mr Milligan had been managing director of Sky's advertising sales division, Sky Media, since 2004. | Mr Milligan had been managing director of Sky's advertising sales division, Sky Media, since 2004. |
A company spokesperson said: "Everyone at Sky is deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic accident involving the Milligan family. | A company spokesperson said: "Everyone at Sky is deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic accident involving the Milligan family. |
"Nick has been a great friend and colleague for many years and his loss will be felt across our company and the industry. Our very deepest sympathies are with his family at this time." | "Nick has been a great friend and colleague for many years and his loss will be felt across our company and the industry. Our very deepest sympathies are with his family at this time." |
Police and investigators from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have begun an inquiry into the incident, co-ordinated by Devon and Cornwall Police. | |
Supt Colwell said a mechanical examination of the boat had taken place, carried out by forensic experts and MAIB inspectors to identify the cause of the "sad and tragic" incident. | |
About 25 officers were working on the investigation in various roles, and reports were being prepared for the coroner, he added. | |
The sunny bank holiday weather had drawn a lot of visitors to the harbourside, and the surrounding waters of the Camel Estuary were said to have been calm on Sunday afternoon when the accident happened. | The sunny bank holiday weather had drawn a lot of visitors to the harbourside, and the surrounding waters of the Camel Estuary were said to have been calm on Sunday afternoon when the accident happened. |
'Heroic' rescuer | 'Heroic' rescuer |
At about 15:50 BST, Falmouth Coastguard received a number of reports from members of the public that six people had been thrown from a speedboat. | At about 15:50 BST, Falmouth Coastguard received a number of reports from members of the public that six people had been thrown from a speedboat. |
They reported seeing the boat "out of control for a short time" and striking some other boats, Jo Rawlings, from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, told the BBC. | They reported seeing the boat "out of control for a short time" and striking some other boats, Jo Rawlings, from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, told the BBC. |
Dog walker Simon Lewins, from Wadebridge, said he watched as a big, powerful boat going "a bit too fast" suddenly turned right, "depositing" people into the water. | Dog walker Simon Lewins, from Wadebridge, said he watched as a big, powerful boat going "a bit too fast" suddenly turned right, "depositing" people into the water. |
"It kept going off in ever decreasing circles. The screams coming from the people in the water were pretty bad." | "It kept going off in ever decreasing circles. The screams coming from the people in the water were pretty bad." |
The man who leapt on to the out-of-control speedboat, from another vessel he went alongside with, was named locally as Charlie Toogood, from Camel Ski School. | The man who leapt on to the out-of-control speedboat, from another vessel he went alongside with, was named locally as Charlie Toogood, from Camel Ski School. |
It is thought Mr Toogood got a rope around the propeller of the out-of-control vessel in a bid to reduce its speed before jumping on board. He then managed to stop it and take it away. | |
"I tell you what, this guy is a hero," Mr Lewins told the BBC. | "I tell you what, this guy is a hero," Mr Lewins told the BBC. |
Coastguards then helped some of the injured as a helicopter landed on the beach, he added. | Coastguards then helped some of the injured as a helicopter landed on the beach, he added. |
The injured were being treated at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. | The injured were being treated at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. |
Matt Pavitt, the Coastguard sector manager for North Cornwall, said the injured four were "badly shaken up". | Matt Pavitt, the Coastguard sector manager for North Cornwall, said the injured four were "badly shaken up". |
He said the 8m (26ft) long vessel had a "very, very powerful engine" and there were reports it was "seen to veer over to one side, causing all six people to end up in the water", resulting in a number of serious injuries. | He said the 8m (26ft) long vessel had a "very, very powerful engine" and there were reports it was "seen to veer over to one side, causing all six people to end up in the water", resulting in a number of serious injuries. |
At a press conference, Mr Pavitt said: "Without doubt, without his [Mr Toogood's] intervention, we could have | |
been dealing a far more serious situation." | |
Coastguards said the was no speed limit in the area where control was lost of the boat. | Coastguards said the was no speed limit in the area where control was lost of the boat. |
Investigators appealed for anyone with photographs or video clips to come forward. | Investigators appealed for anyone with photographs or video clips to come forward. |