Jonada Avida killed in speedboat crash while on holiday with her parents
A young British girl has been killed in a speedboat crash while on holiday with her parents in Albania.
The youngster, named locally as seven-year-old Jonada Avida, was playing on the Potami beach in Himara, Southern Albania, when she was struck at around 2pm on Tuesday.
Jonada, who lived with father Bledar and her mum in Barking, east London, was killed instantly when an off-duty policeman drove through an area marked off for swimmers and struck her.
A police spokesman said the propellers ‘caused serious injuries that led to immediate loss of life’.
The driver, identified as Arjan Tase, has been charged with manslaughter and is due in court on Friday, according to the Albania Daily News.
Local media also report that protests broke out across the country in the wake of the killing, with demonstrators demanded the resignation of Albania’s interior and tourism ministers as well as the head of police.
Tourism minister Mirela Kumbaro laid the blame at the feet of Tase and the national police chief.
She told the Albanian Daily News: ‘An angel is no longer among us because of the stupidity of a man who broke every law, every rule and every norm with tragically irreversible consequences.
‘With awareness that there are no words to serve as a consolation for the parents, the family for the tragedy they suffered, the request goes to justice to do its job, without compromise, with maximum punishment for anyone who breaks the law.
‘The request goes to the state police as well, to each of its employees in the territory, to be at the level of vigilance and punishment that the uniform imposes on them.’