A tourist boat explosion in the Dominican Republic claimed the life of 16-year-old Abigail Lainton from Swindon, England. The teenager died several days after suffering serious injuries in the incident.
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The incident occurred on July 27, while the young British girl was on holiday with her family. The boat caught fire as it was returning from the popular island of Saona, while the powerful explosion left dozens of people injured.
There were around 35 tourists on board when the vessel suddenly exploded and was engulfed in flames. Footage from the scene showed dense clouds of smoke, while the force of the blast damaged part of the deck.
Local authorities said that 24 people were injured in the incident, 11 of whom were taken to hospital.
Abbie was rushed for medical treatment alongside several other injured people. However, her condition deteriorated and she did not survive her injuries.
The teenager had suffered first- and second-degree burns to approximately 60 percent of her body. She died in hospital on July 30 at around 9 p.m., just three days after the explosion.
Documents presented during the investigation into her death show that Abbie’s body has been returned to the United Kingdom.
Authorities in Salisbury, Wiltshire, have postponed the full inquest into the circumstances of her death, and a new date has not yet been set.
Her sister and brother, Carley and Bradley, were also among those injured. No information has been made public so far about their current condition.
Gisell Segovia and her husband, Navin Torres, who were on the boat when the explosion occurred, have recounted the moments of terror they experienced during the incident.
The couple said there had been a smell of gasoline on the boat from the outset and that the vessel appeared overcrowded. Despite this, the crew had told passengers that there was no danger.
In their testimony, they said the passengers heard a loud noise as the boat suddenly increased speed to follow the other vessels. Just moments later, its front section exploded.
The fire spread rapidly, forcing passengers to jump into the sea to save themselves. Other boats in the vicinity later arrived to help them.
Gisell Segovia and Navin Torres suffered first-degree burns. Navin also needed stitches after being struck by a piece of debris from the boat.
Relatives and friends remembered Abbie as a beautiful and loving girl who had her whole life ahead of her.
Becky Jamieson, a friend of the family, said that the 16-year-old was deeply loved by her family and friends. According to Jamieson, Abbie was supposed to spend the summer with her friends and await her GCSE results.
“Forever 16, forever loved and never forgotten,” was Becky Jamieson’s message for Abbie.
An online fundraising campaign has been launched to support the family following the tragedy.
The accident occurred during the return journey from Saona Island, a popular tourist destination in the Dominican Republic that forms part of Cotubanamá National Park.
Institutions in the Dominican Republic described the incident as a tragic maritime accident and said that every possible assistance would be made available to the family during this difficult time.
