Fatal Shannon drowning due to jet ski user conducting manoeuvres at unsafe speed

Seán McCárthaigh

A fatal drowning incident on the River Shannon two years ago occurred when a high-powered jet ski was conducting manoeuvres at an unsafe speed in excess of local speed limits on the river, according to a report.

An investigation by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board into the death of a Limerick teenager in the jet ski incident on the River Shannon near Killaloe, Co Clare, on May 31st, 2023, identified other contributory factors as his inability to swim and his lack of training in how to operate the equipment.

The MCIB said other factors were the non-wearing of a personal flotation device by the casualty and the impact of falling overboard into cold water.

Although not named in the MCIB report, the victim was Wassiou Ayawe Moran (19), a soccer player with Limerick FC, of Old Clare Street, Limerick city, who had bought the jet ski the previous day.

The report outlined how the Sea-Doo RXT X 300 jet ski, which was capable of a maximum speed of 108km/h and described by its manufacturer as the “ultimate offshore performance watercraft”, was launched into the river from a slipway south of Ballina, Co Tipperary, around 550 metres from the location of the fatal incident.

The report said Mr Moran, who could not swim, had given his personal flotation device to one of two teenage girls who joined him on the jet ski, which had a capacity for three passengers.

All three fell off the jet ski while it was seen conducting several “trick manoeuvres” involving sharp turns at high speed, but were able to reboard it.

However, they fell off the jet ski again when it capsized during a sharp left turn just south of the bridge between Killaoe and Ballina in the middle of the river at around 5pm.

The two girls were able to swim to safety on a pontoon on the Ballina side of the Shannon.

Mr Moran’s body was recovered from the river at around 6:45pm after the alarm was raised.

The MCIB noted that a Shannon bye-law stipulates that no vessel should travel at a speed in excess of 5km/h within 200 metres of a bridge, quay, jetty or wharf or when passing within 100 metres of a moored vessel.

The report said the regulation covered the entire area where the jet ski had been operated, including where the casualty was found.

Notices about the bye-law are posted on the slipway from where the jet ski had been launched.

The MCIB said travelling at high speed with a powerful jet ski on a narrow stretch of water could be considered “very dangerous” as it puts other water users at great risk.

It said the observations reported from eyewitnesses indicated the casualty had been operating the jet ski “at a speed and in a manner that was too fast for the physical features of the river area.”

The MCIB said the victim’s ability to judge his speed and surroundings may have been affected by the presence of toxic substances (marijuana) in his system that had been established in a postmortem.

It also observed that there are no current legal requirements to register jet skis, although draft Shannon Navigation Bye-Laws provide for them to be registered.

The MCIB made several safety recommendations in relation to various authorities, including calling on Waterways Ireland to introduce the draft bye-laws, including the mandatory registration of jet skis.

It recommended that the Department of Transport should review its report, as well as an earlier one relating to another incident involving a collision between jet skis in Cashla Bay, Co Galway in 2006 to consider an information sharing and consultation process on the enforcement of legislation governing the safe operation of jet skis, including the introduction of a national mandatory registration system for personal watercraft.

However, the MCIB said it appeared that the Department of Transport did not agree with the recommendation as its response emphasised the importance of personal responsibility and its reliance on the voluntary features of the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft.

The MCIB said it had engaged with various bodies, including An Garda Síochána, Irish Sailing, the Irish Coast Guard and local authorities in Tipperary and Clare, in consideration of its recommendation, which it observed were “largely, although not entirely, supported.”

The MCIB report noted that the Maritime Safety Act 2005, as the primary legislation for regulating and enforcing the safe operation of personal watercraft like jet skis and high-speed power boats, created an extensive enforcement regime.

However, the MCIB said there may be few or no authorised officers who have the required training to carry out arrests under the legislation.

“If this is the case, this raises the question as to why this is the case,” it said.

Tipperary County Council told the MCIB that it understood that Waterways Ireland and gardaí were the authorised officers for the enforcement of navigation laws on the Shannon.

Waterways Ireland said it intended to update 30-year-old regulations governing the River Shannon and canals.

An inquest into Mr Moran’s death at Clare Coroner’s Court in July 2024 recorded a verdict of death by misadventure due to the behaviour of the deceased while operating the jet ski.