British airman killed by speedboat during break in Cyprus

An airman died in Cyprus after being hit by a speedboat while swimming, an inquest heard.

Senior Aircraftman Scott Hughes, 20, from Gwynedd, Wales, had finished his tour in Afghanistan and was relaxing on a stopover in Cyprus before his return home the following day.

The incident happened in November 2010 and SAC Hughes underwent three operations at a hospital in Limassol but died two days later, the BBC reports.

According to ITV News, the inquest at Llandudno heard that after being lifted onto a wooden pontoon, he said: "Help me, I'm dying".

SAC Hughes and two colleagues, Jack Bennett and Jamie Savage, were on a rubber ring towed by a speedboat but Bennett fell off and as the boat swung around for him to climb back on, Hughes fell off.

Hughes then swam towards the pontoon while the boat driver and a spotter took the other two men to the shore and told them they were going for a break.

The boat moved in the direction of the pontoon and hit Hughes, knocking him under the water.

The Daily Post reports that Stelios, the driver, "was in severe shock."

Lance Corporal Andrew Collinage, of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, who was in charge of the boat contractors said: "He said something like 'I didn't know he was there.'"

The inquest continues.

Related articles

British soldier killed in fight in Cyprus nightclub

British soldier missing on French Alps ski holiday