Narrative verdict recorded at inquest into the death of newly-wed Sale woman
28-year old Monica O'Connor died in a speedboat crash whilst on honeymoon in Thailand.
Last updated 5th Dec 2017
An inquest has heard how a woman from Sale was on her honeymoon when she was killed in a speedboat crash in Thailand.
28-year-old Monica O'Connor was one of four people who died when the boat capsized in May last year. Her husband Tim managed to escape alive.
The inquest into her death heard how no safety briefings were given - and there weren't enough life jackets on board.
Our reporter Amy Scarisbrick has been following the case at South Manchester Coroners Court:
The senior coroner Alison Mutch ruled the decision by the boat's captain to ignore warnings of a monsoon contributed to the deaths of four people who drowned after the crash.
46-year old Jason Parnell from Sileby, Leicestershire, also died in the crash - he was celebrating his first wedding anniversary with wife Puja.
A two-day hearing at South Manchester Coroner's Court heard they were among 32 tourists on the boat when it capsized after being hit by a wave as it returned from a day-long tour on 26th May 2016.
The inquest was told a warning had been issued by Thailand's meteorological department alerting small boats not to sail out to sea due to a monsoon.
Boat captain Sanan Sridakeow and operator Limited Partnership Angthong Discovery Tour both admitted offences including causing death due to recklessness at Koh Samui Provincial Court last September.
Tim O'Connor bravely gave evidence to the inquest and re-lived the day he lost his new wife.
Here's a statement released on his behalf by his solicitors Irwin Mitchell:
Going through the inquest process has been incredibly difficult difficult, particularly with the findings outlining just how Monica's death could and perhaps should have been prevented.
I miss her more each day and ultimately nothing is ever going to bring her back.
My hope now is that the appropriate lessons can be learned from today's findings to ensure no one else has to suffer the heartache and pain of losing a loved one when it could be prevented."
Senior Coroner Alison Mutch said: They died as a result of drowning, contributed to by the decision to operate the tour when a known weather warning was in force, prohibiting small boats from sailing out to sea from May 24 to 27 2016.''
Ms Mutch said no safety briefing was provided to passengers on board, there was no individual allocation of life jackets to each passenger and a decision was made to sail the boat too close to the shore.
The inquest heard Sridakeow was jailed for a year and fined 5,000 Thai baht, equivalent to about £115, after the tragedy, in which two tourists of other nationalities also drowned.
The tour operator was fined 15,000 baht (£341).
Ms Mutch offered her condolences to Mr O'Connor and Mrs Parnell, who both gave evidence of the moment the boat capsized.
The coroner said: I'm truly sorry that what should have been memorable holidays in the most positive and happy ways ended in the ways they did.
I'm sure, notwithstanding the amount of time that has passed, the events of the day are etched very clearly on the minds of both of you.''