A talented 14-year-old boy was killed when he was struck by a 'fast-moving, unlicensed speedboat' while snorkelling during a round-the-world family trip, an inquest has heard. Eddie Jarman, a gifted musician, had been checking the anchor of his family's yacht off the coast of Mo'orea near Tahiti in 2020 when a five-metre-long semi-rigid speedboat piloted by a local man hit him.
Fatal Incident
Eddie was struck by the propeller, causing catastrophic chest and head injuries. The woman in the speedboat called out to his family, and the teenager was rushed ashore where emergency teams administered first aid. Despite efforts to save him for over an hour, he was pronounced dead in Afareaitu on Mo'orea at around 4pm that day. A manslaughter investigation in Tahiti was later dismissed by a judge.
Parents' Condemnation
At an inquest in Brighton, Eddie's parents, Harry Jarman and Barbara Genda, condemned the decision not to charge the boat pilot with involuntary manslaughter. They criticised the French Polynesian police investigation as flawed, claiming the boat was travelling 'too fast' and 'too close' to their yacht, and alleged the pilot was driving 'drunk and recklessly'. Ms Genda stated that Eddie, wearing an orange snorkel with a red tip, was clearly visible to other sailors, saying, 'There was a witness in a boat 50 metres away, so it is inconceivable that the driver who drove over him couldn't see him.'
Investigation Details
The inquest heard the speedboat was mechanically sound, but the pilot did not possess an adequate navigation licence as his had expired. The family's yacht was anchored in Opunohu Bay on August 9, 2020. Eddie had gone snorkelling to check the anchor and look for fish, straying up to 15 metres from the yacht into a navigation channel. The speedboat couple had shared a bottle of wine at lunch and partied until 2am the previous night. The pilot said he was driving through the channel when he felt a hit, thinking it was a piece of wood, coconut, or turtle.
Speed and Evidence
Although the speedboat was believed to be within the 20-knot limit, Mr Jarman told police the pilot was 'coming at full speed' and 'practically skimming above the surface'. Ms Genda noted that 'planing' indicated faster speed. Blood samples from the pilot tested negative for alcohol, but Eddie's parents questioned the tests and were denied retesting. Area coroner Joe Turner ruled the cause of death as haemorrhagic shock and ruptured spleen from traumatic injuries, deemed 'unsurvivable'. He concluded the case did not meet the legal standard for gross negligence manslaughter.
Family's Journey
Mr Jarman, a visual effects artist, and Ms Genda, a furniture designer, sold their £1 million home in 2018 for a round-the-world voyage. They sailed from Lanzarote to the Caribbean in 2019, then through Aruba, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and the Galapagos before reaching French Polynesia. The family had been in the area for four days when the accident occurred. They spent over five years pursuing the case in Tahiti, feeling 'exhausted' by the failure to hold the pilot accountable. Eddie was due to start a scholarship at Hurstpierpoint College and played piano, violin, and double bass. His parents established the Eddie Jarman Young Musicians Fund, raising over £50,000 to support music tuition for disadvantaged children.
