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29th Jun 2023

Mum of teen who died in jet-ski accident says bystanders filmed the incident

Ellen Fitzpatrick

The family of a teenager who sadly passed away following a jet-ski accident have claimed that bystanders who witnessed the incident filmed the boy’s final moments.

The 19-year-old, Wassiou Leon Ayawe, died after the jet-ski he was on in the water in Killaloe, Co. Clare flipped over on Wednesday, May 31st.

Speaking to the Limerick Post, the young man’s foster mum, Sandra, said the family were “stunned” in the days following his death after seeing footage of the horrific incident appear on social media.

“What kind of person films someone drowning instead of doing something? Or even throwing a lifebuoy? And then to share that on social media? Did they even think how that would make his family feel?” she said.

Sandra has since gotten the content taken down but recalls the incident that now sticks with her.

“He had bought the jet ski just the day before. We went out to Killaloe with him, to the same spot on the Tuesday, for him to try it out. I was meant to drop him off and come home but something told me to stay and I took lots of pictures. We had a lovely evening and made some beautiful memories,” she added.

“He wasn’t meant to go out on the water that day. We were planning to bring the jet ski up to the coast at the weekend and there were a lot of complications about how he was going to get the ski to Killaloe.”

She went on to say that she had a bad feeling about him going out on the water, and revealed that her last words to Wassiou were to stay safe.

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