British tourist killed and their partner is seriously ill after falling from jet ski they were riding in the sea off Albania

Daily Mail​

02-06-2025

A British tourist has died while another is in critical condition after jet-skiing in Albania.
The 34-year-old man was confirmed dead by coastguards, who believe he lost control of the machine and came off his water scooter.
A 31-year-old woman was also seriously injured and remains in critical condition in hospital.
The holidaymakers were testing 'maneuvers' near the Kavaja Rock area in Durres when they fell into the water yesterday morning, it was reported in local media.
An investigation has been launched to uncover the circumstances of the tragic accident.
The pair are yet to be publicly identified but have had their initials shared by the police - the man was S.O. and the woman was V.B.
The police said: 'Around 11:15, on 01.06.2025, the Port Durres Border Police services were notified that, in the area opposite the Kavaja Rock, two citizens who were sailing on a Jet Ski, are suspected of having lost control of the vessel during maneuvers and fallen into the water.
'The Border Police Services, after receiving the notification, immediately went by watercraft to assist the two citizens who had fallen into the water, transporting them to the port, with the aim of transporting them to the hospital.
'Preliminary verifications by the hospital emergency team, which was waiting at the port, resulted in one of the citizens sailing on the Jet Ski, specifically citizen SO, 34 years old, resident in England, having lost his life, while citizen VB, 31 years old, resident in England, was immediately transported to the hospital in serious condition.
'A special investigative group was immediately established and, under the direction of the Prosecutor's Office, work continues to clarify the circumstances and legally document the case.'
However, several outlets had reported at the time the pair were discovered 'during a random patrol' with the vehicle's engine turned off.
They added that that it was possible to pair were suffering from hypothermia after they had been at sea for an unknown number of hours, according to information from the port.
Another site has reported that the couple were from Ghana but lived in England.
The horrifying incident comes only weeks after another British tourist ran in to trouble on a jet ski while in Thailand.
Vincent Zammitt, 26, from London, was arrested and fined for allegedly sinking a jet ski off the coast of Phuketin April after he rented the machine for a 30-minute ride.
He said he was allowed to set sail into the idyllic turquoise waters, despite the jet ski not undergoing maintenance checks.
The holidaymaker was carving up water when the jet ski's warning lights reportedly went off 15 minutes into the ride.
The alarmed holidaymaker steered the watercraft back to shore but it capsized, leaving him stranded at sea in shark-infested waters.
A rescue team was called to the scene after he failed to return to the beach after 30 minutes.
Footage shows volunteers arriving on jet skis to save Mr Zammitt, seen wearing a life vest as he sat on the overturned machine.
But Mr Zammitt is convinced that the rental company set him up with a dodgy jet ski to fleece him - and that the police were in on it too.
Phuket is among Thailand's most popular tourist destinations known for its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife.
However, it is also a notorious enclave of criminal activity, with greedy locals taking advantage of naive visitors.
Jet ski scams have become a notorious money spinner for locals, with rental companies working in cahoots with a few apparently corrupt police to extort vast sums from holiday makers for non-existent damage to the machines.