Heartbroken family pay tribute to 'beautiful' teens killed in Greek parasailing tragedy
Faye BrownThursday 29 Oct 2020 8:39 pm
The victims were named locally as Jessica Lee Hayes (L), 15, and her cousin Michael Connelly, 13 (R)
The family of two British teenagers killed in a Greek parasailing accident have told how they 'waved off' their 'beautiful' children before the tragedy happened.
Jessica Lee Hayes, 15, and her cousin Michael Connelly, 13, died after falling around 400ft onto a rock face in Rhodes on Wednesday.
Michael's older brother James, 15, survived the fall but remains in an induced coma.
The trio were being towed when a rope holding their parasailing parachute snapped, the Greek coastguard said.
Today, the first image emerged of the three relatives. Taken in 2012, the photo shows them smiling in their school uniforms.
Speaking to The Sun from the hospital, Jessica's father Tony spoke of his family's devastation.
'We're doing terribly. It's like the world's come to an end,' he said.
Jessica Lee Hayes pictured as a child with cousins James Connolly, who was seriously injured in the accident, and Michael Connelly, who was also killed
'One minute the sun was shining, we're sitting at the beach waving them off, and the next it was chaos.'
Tony described his daughter as a 'beautiful beautiful lady' who was 'extremely popular and very special'.
He added: 'Mikey, her cousin, exactly the same. They've been stolen from us and we're devastated.'
Authorities confirmed that the teenagers died of injuries sustained on impact after falling from 'an extremely high altitude' on to the rocks.
Greek media reported emotional scenes outside the hospital, claiming the mother of the boy who had narrowly survived fainted as medics rushed him into the emergency ward.
Tony said the family endured an agonising four hour wait before learning their children had died. He claims the family 'were being strung along with false hope that they were all ok'.
The teenagers died after falling around 400ft onto a rock face (Picture: Athena Pictures)
He has called for an urgent investigation into how the accident happened and said the family had been advised to hire lawyers immediately.
Two people connected with the speedboat were arrested on Wednesday.
According to The Guardian, a public prosecutor temporarily released Nikos Mallios, the owner of a water sports company who was detained following the tragedy, pending further inquiries into the accident.
Greek judicial authorities have ordered an official investigation into what happened, which is reportedly being led by the island's coastguard chief, Spyros Tatis.
Sources close to the investigation claim that police have seized crucial video footage taken by other passengers who were on the speedboat at the time.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said yesterday: 'We are supporting the family of two British people following their death in Rhodes, and are in contact with the Greek authorities.'
A statement released by the Greek coastguard earlier today said: 'They were following a speedboat. The rope was cut.
'The boy and the girl were killed and another was heavily injured and brought to hospital.
'It is under investigation about how the rope was cut.
'The guy who controlled the speedboat and another person were arrested.'