Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2014

Simon Satchwell

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2014-0537, written 12 Dec 2014. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report12 Dec 2014
Reference2014-0537
DeceasedSimon Satchwell
CoronerEdward Thomas
Coroner areaHertfordshire
CategoryOther related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

CORONER'S  OFFICE
DISTRICT OF HERTFORDSHIRE

The  Old Courthouse. StAlbans  Road  East.  Hatfleld.  Hertfordshire.  AL10 oES
DX:  100702  Hatfield
fel:  01707  292780  Fax: 01707  897399

MRGRAHAMoo'"u*r,Blfffi?ot&tfr"rihB,till3"?,"3lilr,.o*o*o.oLoMoNs
Assistant Coroners

12 December  2014

The Rt Hon  Phillio  Hammond MP
Minister  of State for Foreign  & Commonwealth  Affairs
Foreign  & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SWIA  2AH

Your Ref:
Our Ref: 00037-2014

Dear  Sirs,

Re: Simon  Peter  SATCHWELL,  deceased  - Travel Advice

I am writing  to you on provisions  of schedule 5 (paragraph  7) of the Coroners & Justice  Act
2009  which  came into force in July 2013.  This re-enacted  the provisions  of theold  Rule 43 of
the Coroners  Rules 1984. Attached  to this letter  is information  concerning the new  rules and
regulations  from which you will see requires a written response. Copies of this  letter  and the
reiponse  received  from you will be forwarded to the other interested persons identified at the
inouest  in accordance  with the  list attached.

On the  10s December  2014 | conducted an inquest  into the tragic death of Simon Peter
satchwell  who was born  on the  15th February 1999  and was  thus  only  14 years old. Please
find attached a copy of the Record  of Inquest  from which you will note  that Simon  died  from
injuries  received  *hilst  riding  a jet ski on his own  in Abu  Dhabi  in the United  Arab  Emirates'

Simon'  s father gave evidence at the inquest  that he had taken Simon  and his twin brother 
abroad  on a number  of occasions and  in the past  two years had ridden with them in jet ski's in
Lanzarote  and Tunisia.  As  I understand it from him there  was no requirement of supervision  of
a minor  in the  United  Arab Emirates  and  certainly  this  was not raised during  the investigations
undertaken  by the authorities  there, who closed  the case  when  they concluded that  there  had
been  no third party involvement in Simon's  death.

.. ............/.........

 - z-

had  ridden  on their own  on jet skis with their  father who had a

Simon  and his twin brother 
jet ski as well. There  was some  doubt in the evidence as to the exact jet ski used by
because  the rental  agreement only indicated  there were two hired  and it was clear  that  there
had  been  three  and 
father  had  paid for three.  The 31"1 December  was the last full day of
their  holiday  the intention  being that  they  would return  back to the United Kingdom  the following
oay.

I received  helpful information  from the Marine Federation and the Royal  yacht Association
(RYA)  who helped  me with some  of the requirements  of schemes  that are being  carried out in
the  United  Kingdom  for the use of jet skis.  Generally  there is a prohibition  of use by children
under  12 and  a requirement  that  those aged  between 12 and 14 demonstrated an evidence of
competence (eg completing a training scheme  or equivalent  and  operating under  direct adult
supervlsion. The  definition of supervision is such that an adult is present  on board  the craft  at
all times.  This was what  happened  for Simon  and 
Tunisia and  Lanzarote previously. Those  aged  between  15 and  17 should be in possession  of
an RYA certificate of competence for personal  watercraft or something similar. From my own
enquiries abroad I have found that generally  companies  do not hire out to minors  the use  of jet
skis  on their own.

  when they  were  with their father in

Sadly I have  dealt  with many  inquests  of deaths  abroad  where the anangements  for
supervision, maintenance of equipment and  hiring  conditions are not what one would expect
from countries  in the European  Community such as the United Kingdom.  lwas  wondering
whether  it would be helpful  to highlight  this in travel  advice  that is given  to persons  generally
about hiring equipment abroad.  For  instance  I note that on various  websites you give useful
information about  driving abroad but I think  that sometimes persons  wishing to undertake  an
activity abroad  that might  be considered hazardous  do not fully understand  that  the standards
that  they  might  expect in the  United  Kingdom  are not replicated abroad.

I look forward  to hearing  from you on this and I will obviously  pass  on any comments  that the
British  Marine  and the RYA  make  in resoect  of this letter.

The  schedule requires a response  from you within 56 days  of receipt  which  I calculate is the
4' March  2015.  Please let me know if there  is any difficult in complying  with this  timescale or
whether  there is anything  you wish  to discuss I am willing to extend  the deadline  if there  is good
reason  so to do.

I look forward  to hearing  from you.

Yours sincerely

Edward  G
Senior

ENCS

Related reports

Other reports by Edward Thomas

See all →

More reports categorised “Other related deaths”

See all →

Track Edward Thomas

See every Prevention of Future Deaths report matching Edward Thomas, and how often a new one appears.

What would an alert for this have sent me? Search the full text

Free to try — the preview shows the real matches and how many arrived in the last 12 months. Your first email alert is free.

These reports are published by the Chief Coroner's office at judiciary.uk and are © Crown copyright. The text here is reproduced from the published PDF so it can be searched. If something on this page is wrong, or you are a person named in it and want it reviewed, email drcjar@gmail.com and we will act promptly.