Fatal allure of Bahamian water-sports

By Nick Davis
BBC News, Caribbean

Paul Gallagher died five days after the incident

Three men have been cleared of killing a British toddler hit by a speedboat while on holiday in the Bahamas, but every year the region sees people seriously injured and killed in water-sport accidents.

Officials in the islands say safety standards have improved, but the Foreign Office says more regulation is needed.

Sun, sea and sand. That is the almost universal view of a beach holiday in the Caribbean. But there is also the sound of engines being revved, as tourists make the most of the water on a jet ski or speedboat.

At some hotels, guests are greeted with chocolates and flowers on the pillows and a polite reminder not to use the services of the guys offering a boat ride a bit further down the beach.

With a captive audience of sunbathers with nothing better to do, the operators enjoy themselves zipping along the waves. It is a live advert that some tourists decide to buy into.

Every year people are killed or seriously injured by the improper use of jet skis Foreign Office

"I'm kinda' scared of them [jet skis] I've got a friend that got hurt. I'd rather not do that kind of sports but if it's a quiet ride I'd consider it," said Victoria, a holiday maker from Miami.

Many hotels, wary of the safety implications, do not offer motorised water-sports because of the inherent danger of giving the keys of a high-powered machine to an inexperienced driver.

But, it is a way of making good money for some local people. Some comply with the regulations and follow the rules; others take a chance with both their equipment and staff.

For others, it is too good a business opportunity to miss.

The Bahamians brought in stricter legislation after the death of Paul Gallagher in August 2002. The two-year old died from massive head injuries after the out-of-control boat went up the beach while he slept at the Atlantis resort.

Tougher rules

It has been reported that the driver of the speedboat did not have a proper licence or insurance, he had a 14-year-old lookout and was pulling a banana boat full of tourists when he lost control of a 200 horse-power vessel. The operators of the boat were the other men in the dock.

Across the region the safety of holidaymakers is a key concern for people who work in the tourist industry.

Most of the islands desperately need visitors to keep coming and spending their money for the island's economic survival.

Governments across the Caribbean are aware of the impact these incidents have on them and have tried to clamp down on unregulated operators, but many still exist.

In its travel advice to the island, the Foreign Office warns of the possible dangers.

In the Bahamas, despite new laws, it says: "Every year people are killed or seriously injured by the improper use of jet skis or other watercraft or by the careless or reckless operation of such equipment by others."

But for many holidaymakers the lure is just too strong.