Lyme Bay kayaking tragedy
Encyclopedia
The Lyme Bay kayaking tragedy was the deaths of four teenagers on a sea kayak
ing accident in the Lyme Bay area which led to legislation to regulate adventure activities centres working with young people in the UK.
On 22 March 1993, a group of eight schoolchildren and their teacher were accompanied by two instructors from an outdoor centre on a kayak trip across Lyme Bay
, on the south coast of England
.
As a result of a series of errors and circumstances, four of the teenagers drowned. The party had run into difficulties straight away as one kayak became swamped. The group was swept out to sea, where all their kayaks were quickly swamped.
The subsequent trial resulted in the prosecution of the parent company and the centre manager. The owner of the activity centre and the centre itself were convicted of corporate manslaughter over the deaths. This was the first conviction for this offence in the UK. The owner was jailed for three years, but his sentence was cut to two years on appeal. This tragedy
accelerated governmental discussions to end self-regulation of outdoor education
centres. The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995 was passed through Parliament
in January 1995 and an independent licensing authority, the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
(AALA) was formed, funded by the Department of Education and Employment (DFE) and under the guidance of the Health and Safety Executive
. On the 24 December, 1998, six Venture Scouts were taken into Scottish avalanche conditions on Aonach Mor near Ben Nevis, in the ensuing avalanche, four scouts died. There was no attempt by the AALA at a conviction for corporate manslaughter against the mountain-guide leader (who survived)and no jail sentence was sought. On October 15, 2010, Lord Young of Graffham, recommended that the AALA be abolished and the existing statutory licensing regime be replaced by a code of practice. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/guide-is-cleared-of-blame-over-avalanche-deaths-626720.html
Sea kayak
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck...
ing accident in the Lyme Bay area which led to legislation to regulate adventure activities centres working with young people in the UK.
On 22 March 1993, a group of eight schoolchildren and their teacher were accompanied by two instructors from an outdoor centre on a kayak trip across Lyme Bay
Lyme Bay
Lyme Bay is an area of the English Channel situated in the southwest of England between Torbay in the west and Portland in the east. The counties of Devon and Dorset front onto the bay,-Geology:...
, on the south coast of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
As a result of a series of errors and circumstances, four of the teenagers drowned. The party had run into difficulties straight away as one kayak became swamped. The group was swept out to sea, where all their kayaks were quickly swamped.
The subsequent trial resulted in the prosecution of the parent company and the centre manager. The owner of the activity centre and the centre itself were convicted of corporate manslaughter over the deaths. This was the first conviction for this offence in the UK. The owner was jailed for three years, but his sentence was cut to two years on appeal. This tragedy
Tragedy (event)
A tragedy is an event in which one or more losses, usually of human life, occurs that is viewed as mournful. Such an event is said to be tragic....
accelerated governmental discussions to end self-regulation of outdoor education
Outdoor education
Outdoor education usually refers to organized learning that takes place in the outdoors. Outdoor education programs sometimes involve residential or journey-based experiences in which students participate in a variety of adventurous challenges in the form of outdoor activities such as hiking,...
centres. The Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995 was passed through Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in January 1995 and an independent licensing authority, the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority is the licensing authority for outdoor activity centres for young people in Great Britain. Since 2007 it has been part of the Health and Safety Executive , the government body charged with overseeing health and safety in all workplaces. AALA inspect...
(AALA) was formed, funded by the Department of Education and Employment (DFE) and under the guidance of the Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare, and for research into occupational risks in England and Wales and Scotland...
. On the 24 December, 1998, six Venture Scouts were taken into Scottish avalanche conditions on Aonach Mor near Ben Nevis, in the ensuing avalanche, four scouts died. There was no attempt by the AALA at a conviction for corporate manslaughter against the mountain-guide leader (who survived)and no jail sentence was sought. On October 15, 2010, Lord Young of Graffham, recommended that the AALA be abolished and the existing statutory licensing regime be replaced by a code of practice. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/guide-is-cleared-of-blame-over-avalanche-deaths-626720.html