A teenage girl from Gloucester has died after becoming trapped when a speedboat overturned at a popular holiday spot.
It is thought the teenager, who is believed to have gone to Chosen Hill School in Churchdown, was on a Bank Holiday trip when tragedy struck.
All four passengers on the boat, which overturned in Brixham Harbour, in Torbay, Devon, received medical treatment and were taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 14-year-old, named locally as Emily Gardner, died shortly after arriving at Torbay Hospital, Devon, in a critical condition.
South Western Ambulance Service (SWAST) confirmed that one of the other passengers was in a serious condition and two others were not thought to have serious injuries.
A spokesperson for SWAST said: “We were called by the coastguard at 12.01pm on Saturday afternoon. It was reported that a boat had overturned.
“We sent four ambulances to the scene and an officer, who was able to liaise with the other services involved.
“We also sent out Hazardous Ambulance Response Team (HART) who are trained to deal with difficult situations, so they attended as the water was involved.
“A paramedic also attended in a fast car.
“In total there were four patients. Two were in a serious condition, one of which critical, when we arrived.
“Two others were not thought to be in a serious condition at the time. The person in a critical condition was a young girl.
“We know it was a young female, but we don’t know her age. We are assuming that it was this patient who sadly later died.”
Emergency services were called at 11.44am yesterday after reports a boat had capsized.
Lifeboat crews attended Brixham Harbour, in Torbay, Devon along with two coastguard search and rescue teams and the coastguard helicopter.
Specialist divers worked into the evening to remove the capsized boat, which was near the entrance to the harbour.
Mark Criddle, coxswain of Torbay’s RNLI lifeboat, said the vessel was launched at 11:51am with four people in the water.
They found one girl in the 16ft speedboat and three other people had been rescued by other crafts in the area, including two jet skiers and a yacht.
He added: “We took the girl back to shore where she was handed into the care of paramedics who took her to hospital.
“The three other people who had been aboard the overturned speedboat were also taken to hospital after being treated at the lifeboat station.”
A local cafe worker, who did not wish to be named, said: “The cafe is right by the harbour. What has happened is absolutely tragic.
“We were all really upset by what happened yesterday. We don’t really know much about it – we just saw all the emergency vehicles arrive.
“We don’t think the people involved were local. A lot of people have been talking and it sounds like they were just on holiday here.
“I don’t know any more than that really – it’s all very sad.”
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “A small speedboat containing four persons overturned.
“All persons were rescued from the water and received medical treatment; sadly though, one person has died.
“Her family have been informed.