Jet ski accident in Fuengirola: investigation suggests victim hit head on handlebars

Sources close to the investigation of the death of 32-year-old French man in a jet ski accident in Fuengirola on Wednesday, 9 August, said that the victim suffered a severe blow to the head with the handlebars of the ski when he caught a wave.

The victim was driving the jet ski at the time of the accident and was carrying a passenger. The initial investigations suggest that the impact to the head caused serious injuries, as well as causing him to fall from the jet ski. His passenger was unhurt in the tragic accident, in which no other vessel was involved. It happened a few minutes before five o'clock in the afternoon.

At around 4.40pm on Wednesday, 9 August, several people called the 112-Andalucía emergency system to report that a jet ski had been involved in an accident offshore, outside the area marked out for bathing, opposite the Rey de España promenade in Fuengirola.

Apparently, the victim and his friend had left the port of Benalmádena. When the man was pulled from the sea he was in cardiorespiratory arrest. A large medical team was deployed at the scene and the rescuers tried to resuscitate the victim for almost forty minutes. However, all efforts were in vain and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

This is the second fatal accident involving a jet ski so far this summer on the Costa del Sol. The previous one took place on 16 July in El Palo, in Malaga city, and cost the life of Marina, 32, a mother of two who lived with her family in the district of San Andrés.

On that Sunday evening, the fiestas in honour of the Virgen de Carmen were being held and the beaches and sea were much busier than usual.

According to the reconstruction of the events, Marina was travelling on a three-seater jet ski with two other friends. They said her hat flew off and, as she tried to pick it up, she fell into the water, suffering a heavy blow. The woman remained floating, unconscious (she was wearing a lifejacket), until her friends rescued her and brought her ashore.

Guardia Civil officeres are investigating the driver of the jet ski in connection with the accident. The man, 32, tested positive for alcohol and cocaine.