“Loveliest dad” died on Turkey holiday pirate ship boat trip - before organisers hosted on-board foam party
After a dad, described as “the loveliest”, tragically died on a Turkey boat trip, organisers went ahead with a planned foam party to the horror of his distraught family.
The distraught family of “the loveliest dad” who died on a boat trip in Turkey have claimed the organisers covered his body with a towel and later hosted an on-board foam party. Peter Colville was on a family holiday to Alanya in Turkey, when tragedy struck.
The 60-year-old was on a break with ten family members, including his children and grandchildren who had flown out on July 20. On July 27 they had all set sail on a £200 'luxury pirate ship' boat trip - on board Legend Big Kral - with entertainment, DJs, snorkelling and a foam party, alongside approximately 600 other guests, it is understood.
However, on the second swim stop by Cleopatra Beach, property maintenance boss Peter disappeared. Moments later swimmers found Peter face-up, unconscious in the water, and dragged him on deck, before administering CPR.
His daughter, Nakita Colville, 27, who witnessed the ordeal, said "unbothered and clueless" staff on board "just stood there watching". She said the barman declared him dead before staff covered his body and face with a towel.
The coastguard arrived and Peter was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead. And while the family - including two of his grandchildren - were taken off the boat, the party continued, with the crew hosting a foam party for the remaining traumatised passengers, Nakita claims.
Nakita, an admin assistant, from Woking, Surrey, said: "When my brother-in-law came back out of the sea after swimming, he turned around when he realised my dad was no longer behind him. Then we heard people yelling for help and saw my dad in the water, face up, with people trying to get him out.
"One of the other guests began giving CPR while the crew members just stood there with their arms crossed. Other guests were screaming and crying, my family was hysterical.
"We were living the worst moments of our lives but as soon as we were taken off, the crew just apologised to guests because the foam party was delayed, I've been told.
"My dad was the loveliest dad and grandad and he deserved to be treated with respect - and he wasn't. We can't say it was the company's fault that he died, but maybe he could've been saved - and how it was dealt with was awful."
Nakita added: "My sister and I were just holding my dad's hand, screaming. As far as we knew, or he knew, he was healthy - we have no idea what happened. He was smart - if he had been, or felt, unwell, he wouldn't have got in the water."
Nakita says the boat was carrying more than 600 guests, which, the Big Kral Legend's Tripadvisor page claims, has a capacity of 1,200. According to UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency advice, all ships should undertake a risk assessment, but "as a general guide, vessels in regular operation carrying in excess of 100 persons" should carry a defib.
Nakita had to break the news by phone to her four brothers and their families. She said: "Our dad was so lovely - the best dad and grandad to all his grandchildren. I keep forgetting what happened and then it hits you all over again."
Postmortems were conducted in Turkey and the UK. Nakita said neither could find a cause of death so investigations are ongoing.
One Tripadvisor review from the day read: "He was laid on the deck – and then nothing. No proper procedures, no clearing the deck from onlookers, no immediate CPR. A crew member looked into his eyes and declared him dead."
Another said: "After the life guard come to take the guy away we were simply told the emergency was over and they continued to play loud music and try to sell more photos."
A third added: "The way it was handled by the crew was nothing short of horrifying. It is unsafe, unprofessional, and the crew is neither trained nor emotionally capable of handling emergencies - or tragedies. A man died. And they carried on like it meant nothing."
Nakita added: "I saw it happen but somehow it still feels like he'll walk back through the door any minute now. All we know is that he deserved so much better than what he got on that boat."
Big Kral Pirate Boats did not respond to a request for comment.