Donald Campbell died yesterday while attempting to break his own water speed record on Coniston Water in Cumbria. The 46-year-old driver was piloting his jet-engined boat Bluebird K7 when it crashed at over 300 mph, flipping backwards and somersaulting 50 feet before plunging nose-first into the lake.
Witnesses reported that the boat's nose lifted as it struck ripples on the water, causing it to tip over. Campbell's final radio transmissions included the words 'I am upside down' and 'she's going'. A timekeeper then announced a complete accident. Divers attempted to recover Campbell's body from 120 feet of water but lacked sufficient equipment; operations were set to resume with lifting tackle and submarine lighting.
The attempt had been plagued by nine weeks of weather and engine problems. On the morning of the crash, Campbell completed a southbound run averaging 297 mph over the kilometre, needing 303 mph on the return to achieve his 300 mph target. Moments after starting the return run, the accident occurred within 200 yards of the measured kilometre's end.
Chief official observer Norman Buckley stated the accident likely happened because Bluebird was travelling too fast. Campbell had previously warned that if the nose lifted as little as three degrees, the boat would topple backwards. The record remains Campbell's at 276.38 mph, set in Australia in 1964.
Campbell's wife, Tonia Bern, a cabaret artist, travelled from London to Coniston last night. The crash marked the end of Campbell's pursuit of an eighth world water speed record, his fifth on Coniston Water.
