British dad dies in jet ski accident on holiday in France

A British man has been killed and his three-year-old son seriously injured in a jet ski accident in the South of France.

The 41-year-old, who was of Russian origin but lived in Northern Ireland, was holidaying with his family near Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, near Nice, when the accident occurred.

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According to the Belfast Telegraph, he was giving his son a ride on the jet ski when he hit a wall at around 11am on Thursday.

The Sun reports that the man had driven into a small cove before losing control and hitting the wall that protects the cove at full speed.

His son, named in reports as Michael, is in intensive care in Lenval Hospital in Nice, according to the Daily Mail.

The site added that the jet ski belonged to the people with whom the family were staying.

According to the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents, there is no European-wide legislation regarding the proper operation and management of beach watersports such as jet-skiing.

"Individual countries have their own legislation, beach regulations, standards and guidance, but these are not consistent and are often only enforced in the aftermath of an accident," it says.

"Used properly, jet-skis can be great fun, but used irresponsibly they can be the cause of a fatal accident... jet-skis can leave a trail of deaths and injuries in their rowdy wake."

Statistics show that most accidents occur through collisions with other jetskis or watercraft, crashing into jetties, piers or rocks and failing to avoid more vulnerable water users.

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