Footage shows Bournemouth ferry on day of incident

A father who was on a pleasure cruise as two children died at Bournemouth beach on Wednesday has said lifeguards were warnign people not to get too close to the pier before the tragedy occurred.

Along with dozens of others, Luke Owen was on the Dorset Belle just minutes before 10 people got into trouble in the water on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of two, a boy aged 17, and a girl, aged 12.

The boat has now been impounded by police at Cobb’s Quay Marina in Poole, with a man in his 40s arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, before being released under investigation.

Mr Owen told the Mirror: “When we looked no one was on the beach and before we left everyone was on the beach. It was empty, everyone was just staring.

“I’m first thinking it was a shark attack, because I did hear there was a shark attack a few weeks back.

“To be honest, to me it sounds like a terrible tragedy. It was said quite a few times about the rip tides the day before. And the lifeguards were advising people not to get close to the pier.

“There was announcements over the course of the three days, and there are flags you have to stay within.”

Mr Owen said he had spoken to the boat operator and was told one person had been pulled from the water with another missing.

He added: “As he’s told me that, we looked up to the sea and the 17-year-old was being pulled out. The ambulance came across and collected him.”

Mr Owen, who had been on a three-day holiday with his family, had tried to book spaces on the boat on Tuesday, he explained, and kept checking availability.

Eventually he was was told be a member of staff: “The riptides have been there each day but we’re hoping at about 4 o’clock to get going”.

He added: “I came back at 3.30pm and paid for the tickets.

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“That was the first boat since the Monday, I would believe.”

Admitting his “surprise” that the trip was allowed to go ahead, he continued: “It was absolutely fine – at sea there was a bit of wind, but on the beach it was absolutely fine. The boat ride went fine.”

A post on the now takendown Dorset Belle Pleasure Cruises Facebook page stated: “The sea conditions at Bournemouth pier are set to improve this afternoon and the sun will be back out according to the forecast so we are planning to carry out at 16.00, 17.00, 18.00 and 19.00 round the bay once we have completed and are happy with our berthing trial.”

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