Dad’s tragic final phrases to daughter killed in parasailing tragedy on vacation | UK | News | EUROtoday

The father of a British teenager who plunged to her dying in a parasailing accident on a Greek island has returned to the very spot the place she tragically misplaced her life.

Tony Hayes, 43, made the 1,800-mile journey to Rhodes for the primary time since his daughter, Jessica, 15, and her cousin, Mikey Connelly, 13, perished after falling onto rocks under in 2020. He laid two white roses within the sand simply hours earlier than the watersports operator chargeable for the tour was as a consequence of face prison proceedings in court docket.

Nikos Mallios, 57, stands accused of violating quite a few well being and security rules after the rope connecting Jessica and Mikey to his speedboat snapped, sending them plummeting to the bottom. Michael’s elder brother James, then 15, was additionally being towed on the “three-man ride” however remarkably survived. The Mirror accompanied Tony as he revisited the identical seashore the place he had waved Jessica off and instructed her: “We love you.”

In an unique interview, Tony mentioned: “I never want anyone to have to experience anything as traumatic as this. Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen. I need to come back to re-live some parts of it so I can process it.” He added: “It’s difficult to be here. It’s very, very hard. What’s hard for people to understand is that it’s been five and a half years. But for us it feels like it’s still exactly the same day. That time has passed but because of what happened and the court case is ongoing, we haven’t had a resolution to that.”

Tony, from Corby, Northants, went to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil’s surprise 65th birthday. The couple were on holiday with Kayleigh’s brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. In the days before the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James played games and watched bands in the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was “So I have a look at an image of Jess, or see a video of her, and I can not course of what occurred. I’ve needed to have PTSD counselling. But it is tough as a result of I can not keep in mind the nice instances as a result of I’m consumed with the continuing case.”, experiences the Mirror.

“When I look at the hotel I have so many mixed emotions. So I have this moment where the family is together and we were having a really lovely time. Then it all changes in a moment. On that day we didn’t overly consider the risk that was involved. It’s so important we get justice. It’s important a message goes out to people.”

Tony’s go to again to Lindos, Rhodes, marks the newest chapter in his five-year quest for justice following Jessica and Mikey’s deaths. Tomorrow Mr Mallios, 57, will seem at Rhodes Courthouse the place, if discovered responsible, he may face imprisonment for failures which left Tony and his spouse, Kayleigh, 39, a catering supervisor, heartbroken. Three British witnesses – who have been holidaying on the time of the tragedy – have journeyed to Rhodes to supply eyewitness testimony. Tony mentioned: “I want him to go to prison, I want it to be long. I think it would help me come to terms with what happened. It might mean that instead of looking of pictures of Jessica and thinking of her death, I’d be thinking of happier times. But I’m also a bit scared about the legal case coming to an end. This feels like the last thing I have been able to do for Jessica. “I’ve felt like I’m nonetheless capable of do one thing as her dad, for her. When that is over, I will not have any extra dad duties.”

Tony, from Corby, Northants, travelled to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil’s surprise 65th birthday. The pair were holidaying with Kayleigh’s brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. During the days preceding the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James enjoyed games and watched bands at the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was “the very best vacation she’d ever had”.

On October 28 they reserved places on Mr Mallios’ boat in Lardos Bay after spotting the rides on an advertising board near the hotel. Tony bid farewell at 12.30pm on the beach outside the hotel, but never saw them again. He said: “Jessica was having an amazing vacation. There are photos of James and Jessica revising as a result of they have been getting ready for his or her mock exams.”

Tony, from Corby, Northants, went to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil’s surprise 65th birthday. The couple were on holiday with Kayleigh’s brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. In the days before the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James played games and watched bands in the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was “We had some particular moments the night time earlier than. She had danced along with her grandad and mentioned she was having a good time. The night time earlier than she slipped within the bathe and bumped her head. Me and Kayleigh lay within the mattress along with her.”

“We did not know at the moment that it could be the final time we’d be that shut.” Tony added: “When Jessica, James and Mikey have been getting on the boat, we instructed them we beloved them and gave them a cuddle. When we mentioned goodbye, all the household was collectively. Instead of staying in entrance of the resort, the boat began heading across the bend within the coast. Straight away we knew one thing wasn’t proper.”

A storm broke out and when the rope snapped the parachute veered wildly towards the rocky coastline where the children sustained catastrophic injuries. James spent more than two weeks in a coma before being airlifted back to the UK. Tony said: “The subsequent factor we knew, the boat had come again and everybody was crying.” The families were initially informed that two of the children had sustained broken bones while the third was alive but in a far more critical condition.

It was only when Sharon and Kayleigh forced their way into the hospital that nurses revealed Jessica and Mikey had passed away. Mr Mallios was arrested and bailed while prosecutors deliberated over whether he should face manslaughter charges. Legal representatives acting on behalf of the families in Greece — led by solicitor George Moschos — assert that triple-seat parasailing is prohibited, as is taking children under 14. They also allege Mr Mallios may have violated regulations by operating in adverse weather conditions and venturing beyond a designated watersports zone. However, Jessica’s death has left an indelible mark on Tony’s life, and he remains consumed by remorse for permitting her to participate in the excursion.

He said: “I ought to have been much more cautious. I may have simply mentioned no. I’ve plenty of guilt about that. I battle so much with the very fact I may have in the end made the choice for them to not exit on the parasail. For me that is laborious. I do not need to inform individuals happening vacation: ‘Be tremendous cautious, do not take pleasure in your self.’ But watersports firms must be working to the very best requirements and never chopping corners as a result of it places individuals’s lives in danger. They have to guard the vacationers who put their religion in them. We additionally need the authorities that oversee these firms to implement the legislation.”

Despite being the subject of a criminal investigation, Mr Mallios was not detained and remained free to conduct operations from the identical location where he collected Jessica, Mikey and James. In 2022 the Mirror disclosed he was transporting successive groups of thrill-seekers out to sea on €75 excursions. Exclusive photographs revealed the tanned watersports operator launching his vivid yellow speedboat, bearing the word “parasailing” across its hull. Tony said today: “He’s been capable of proceed working regardless of what occurred. How many British vacationers has he unknowingly taken up in his parasail? If he have been a truck driver and he’d killed somebody then they’d have taken his licence off him.”

Mr Mallios can be as a consequence of face much more severe fees in Kos later this yr.