Second Gap Year Tragedy Strikes Wealthy Wates Family in Vietnam Motorbike Crash
The tragic death of a building tycoon's daughter in a motorbike accident in Vietnam marks the second devastating gap year loss to rock one of Britain's wealthiest families. Orla Wates, aged just 19, was killed when she was thrown from a motorcycle and subsequently run over by a lorry while travelling through Southeast Asia. This heartbreaking incident bears chilling parallels to the death of her cousin, William Wates, who was also 19 when he was murdered during his travels in Honduras nearly three decades ago.
A Family Dynasty Rocked by Tragedy
Both Orla and William were beloved members of the Wates construction family dynasty, which is estimated to be worth approximately £597 million. The adventurous teenagers shared a spirit of exploration that ultimately led to their untimely deaths in foreign lands. William's tragic story unfolded in August 1996 when he was ambushed by bandits in a remote mountainous region near the Nicaraguan border in Honduras.
His body was discovered by local peasants on a roadside, bearing five gunshot wounds to his heart, head, and back. William had been bound by his hands and legs, and his pockets were turned inside out. Traveller's cheques, credit cards, and cash were missing from the scene. Investigators believe he was robbed and killed by two Latin Americans who had been staying in the adjacent hotel room in the border town of Danli, located about 40 miles away from where his body was found.
William's Legacy and Family Response
William had been travelling through South and Central America for four months after spending two months with a voluntary organisation in Ecuador, where he planted trees and assisted local communities. The youngest of five brothers, he was a former pupil at Radley College and had taken a year off before he was due to study ancient history at Nottingham University.
At the time of the tragedy, his father, Andrew Wates, was chairman of Wates Leisure and director of Wates Building Group. Remarkably, Andrew learned of his son's death just weeks after his horse Rough Quest won the Grand National. He bravely concealed the tragedy from hundreds of the family firm's employees as he hosted a long-planned garden party at his country estate near Dorking, Surrey, before flying to Honduras to bring his son's body home.
In the aftermath of this devastating loss, the family established the William Wates Memorial Trust, a charity that has raised millions of pounds to support projects helping disadvantaged children and young people escape cycles of crime. The trust organises an annual cycling event called Le Loop, which offers amateur riders the chance to tackle the 21 stages of the Tour de France one week ahead of the iconic race.
Orla's Tragic Accident in Vietnam
Orla Wates shared her cousin's adventurous spirit and was travelling through Southeast Asia on her gap year before she was scheduled to begin a degree at Durham University. Described by her mother as "beautiful, independent and very funny, with a sharp wit," Orla was on a multi-day motorbike tour along the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam when tragedy struck.
The winding mountain route spans approximately 250 miles through spectacular landscapes. Orla was riding pillion when the driver lost control on a stretch of this challenging road. She was thrown onto the roadway before being struck by a passing lorry. Her parents, Andrew, 56, and Henrietta Wates, 53, made the difficult decision to donate their daughter's organs for transplantation, saving the lives of three critically ill Vietnamese patients.
Her mother expressed the family's perspective: "At this extremely difficult time for our family, we chose to donate Orla's organs, as we believe that if there were a way to give opportunity to others, this is what Orla would have wanted. Knowing that she is living on through them brings us great comfort." Orla's liver, kidneys, and corneas were successfully transplanted to patients at Hanoi's Việt Đức Friendship Hospital.
The Wates Family Legacy
Orla's father, Andrew, is a director of the Wates construction company and the son of Paul Wates. His uncle, also named Andrew, was William's father. The family business has been run by four generations of Wates since its founding in 1897 by Edward Wates, operating under the motto "from unity comes strength." The company has grown substantially over the decades, reporting a record turnover of £2.4 billion for the 2024 financial year.
Dr Dương Đức Hùng, director of Việt Đức University Hospital, confirmed that patients who received Orla's donated organs were all recovering well. Orla's father spoke at the hospital, thanking medical staff for their support during this profoundly difficult time. These two tragedies, separated by nearly thirty years but connected by family bonds and youthful adventure, have left an indelible mark on one of Britain's most prominent business dynasties.
