SHE WAS ONLY 16: HEARTBREAKING NEW DETAILS EMERGE AFTER BRITISH TEENAGER KI-LLED IN HORR0R BOAT “EXPLOSION” ALONGSIDE HER TWO SIBLINGS DURING FAMILY HOLIDAY — A TRIP MEANT TO CREATE HAPPY MEMORIES ENDS IN A TRAGEDY HER FAMILY WILL NEVER ESCAPE
TRAGIC new details have emerged after a British teenager was killed in a boat explosion in the Caribbean.
Abigail Lainton, 16, from Swindon, Wiltshire, suffered horrific burns in the horror incident while on a family holiday in the Dominican Republic on July 27 – and died days later in hospital.
Abbie Lainton, 16, died ‘in a terrible accident’ while on holiday with her family
A tourist boat carrying around 35 people burst into flames on July 27Credit: Collect
Her body has now been returned to the UK, and an inquest was told the cause of death was septic shock caused by septicaemia as a result of pulmonary edema.
Abigail – known as Abbie – had sustained first and second degree burns over 60 per cent of her body and died in hospital three days after the blast.
Coroners in Salisbury, Wiltshire, adjourned the full inquest to a date yet to be fixed.
The boat was returning tourists from a trip to the popular Saona Island, a tropical idyll that forms part of the Cotubanamá National Park.
The force of the explosion caused part of the boat deck to break apart.
The vessel was carrying around 35 people, with footage showing huge plumes of smoke pouring out.
Abbie was rushed to hospital, but her condition deteriorated and she died at 9pm on July 30.
Authorities said 24 people were injured, with 11 taken to hospital.
The family shared a picture from their holiday to the Dominican RepublicCredit: Gofundme
Abbie’s two siblings, Carley and Bradley, were among those injured.
Family friend Becky Jamieson described Abbie as a “beautiful” young girl who was loved by everyone who knew her.
She continued: “Abbie had her whole life ahead of her. She should have been enjoying the summer with her friends and looking forward to receiving her GCSE results.
“She was so loved by her family, friends and everyone who knew her.
“For Abbie, forever 16, forever loved and never forgotten.”
A GoFundMe page, which was set up to help Abbie’s family, has already received more than £5,000 in donations.
Gisell Segovia and her husband Navin Torres, 35, were on the boat when it blew up and saw Abbie badly injured after the explosion.
Navin told The Sun how he was with the Brit teen as she fought for her life, calling her “a warrior”, adding she “did not go out without a fight”.
The teen died on 30 July in an accident that also seriously injured her siblingsCredit: Gofundme
The boat suddenly caught fire with more than 30 people on boardCredit: Collect
He and his wife had come on holiday to celebrate Navin’s birthday, but ended up burnt and traumatised in the horror accident.
Gisell told The Sun that the boat “smelled like gasoline” and was “over-packed” from the start, but said the crew reassured her it was safe.
Navin revealed that passengers heard a terrifying “pop” after their vessel suddenly sped up to “keep up with the other boats”.
Then the boat suddenly blew up.
Navin said: “The front of the boat exploded. It took me a couple of seconds to analyse what was going on the fire started spreading towards me and my wife.”
He was terrified for his wife, saying: “I was very upset and I was scared for my wife because she can’t swim.”
Gisell said: “All I remember was like hearing a pop noise. And then the people sitting on the left side of the boat, they flew off their seats, including the benches that they were sitting on.
“Everything started flying and boat pieces that were on fire started flying everywhere. My husband, he got cut and burned on the side of his forehead with one of the pieces.”
She said everyone was crying and screaming as winds whipped up the fire.
Navin threw Gisell off the boat to save her from the flames and all passengers leapt into the ocean before being rescued by other boats.
The couple both had first degree burns in the accident and Navin needed stitches after a piece of debris hit him.
Gisell said she remembered Abigail “because of her eyes”, adding that they were “beautiful”.
Gisell passed out in the water and her husband pulled her to safety.
An official in the Dominican Republic said: “It was an accident at sea and was very tragic.
“The young lady and her injured siblings were moved immediately to the hospital in the city of La Romana but sadly the she did not survive.
“Despite the best efforts of medical staff she did not make it. Her injured siblings are continuing to be looked after in the hospital.”
“People are rallying around to help in any way they can. A tragedy like this touches everyone on our island.”
They added: “We will offer every assistance that we can during this sorrowful time. Our prayers are with the family.”
