Speedboat death ruled unlawful

Cliff Langan, 45, said after yesterday's inquest verdict he would be haunted forever by the thought he had "murdered" his brother Ian.

Mr Langan was at the helm of the 25ft-long speedboat Blue Sunset when it ploughed into the 20ft-long Seadoo carrying Ian Langan on August 4 last year.

The inquest heard Cliff Langan and the Seadoo's driver, Glen Mackay, had both been drinking heavily on the day of the accident.

Coastguard investigators also condemned both drivers for their actions in the moments leading up to the crash, about 50m south of Brighton's Palace Pier.

Sussex Police yesterday ruled out reopening their investigations into 45-year-old father-of-one Mr Langan's death.

Both drivers had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter on the night of the crash but the Crown Prosecution Service later ruled there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.

Speaking outside court yesterday, Mr Langan said: "The law should be carrying on with this. I would if I was in the police's position but the law says they can't.

"They've got nowhere left to go. I should have been put before a court of law and I believe I would have walked away an innocent man."

He insisted his brother's death was "a tragic accident" but acknowledged he would always be haunted by his role in it and the jury's verdict.

Mr Langan, of Neptune Court, Brighton Marina, said: "I feel like I've murdered my brother. I've got to cope with that."

The jury deliberated for three-and-a-half hours after being directed by Brighton and Hove Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley to deliver a verdict of either unlawful killing or accidental death.

Detective Chief Inspector Reg Hooke, in charge of the Sussex Police investigation, said: "It always appeared to police to be an avoidable incident and death.

"There is no legislation which governs the use of recreational boats or vehicles on water in the same way as the Road Traffic Act covers vehicles on the road."

Drink-driving limits on the roads do not apply to people driving boats, though this is due to change when the new Railways and Transport Safety Act comes into force next year.

Crash survivor Michael Tierney remains bitter about the crash and believes Cliff Langan should never been allowed behind the wheel.

The collision left him with a broken leg and was a severe setback in his battle against terminal lung cancer.

He said: "It's legislation which is the important thing, to make sure people can only drive boats if they're properly-qualified and have licences. Cliff just doesn't have the experience.

"I was shocked to see him driving. None of us expected him to be controlling that boat and I certainly wouldn't have gone out if I had known."

The Langan family, however, has rallied behind Cliff following the crash, since when he has sought psychological counselling and his mother Doreen has suffered a stroke.

She had been kept away from court and media reports.

Both Cliff Langan and Mr Mackay had drunk about four pints of lager before taking control of the two boats, while Mr Mackay was accused of carrying out "showboating" manoeuvres.

One of these was a 360-degree turn, referred to in court as a "doughnut", which Mr Mackay performed while crossing in front of the Blue Sunset.

His boat then slowed down before it was rammed by the Blue Sunset, which knocked Ian Langan overboard and crushed the ribs and left leg of Mr Tierney.

Mrs Hamilton-Deeley described the last doughnut as "the most significant manoeuvre of the trip".

Crash investigator Jeremy Smart said not only did they not show enough awareness of where the other boat was, they had both had their driving abilities hampered by alcohol.

Ian Langan, of Ditchling Road, Brighton, had spent the morning of August 4 last year working as a chef at the Brighton Marina Yacht Club premises.

Early in the afternoon he joined his brother, Mr Mackay and friend Bernard Rogers in Hanrahans bar at the marina.

Mr Mackay and Cliff Langan each admitted to drinking about three-and-a-half pints of Stella Artois lager, while Mr Mackay enjoyed some ginger wine, described in court as his "favourite drink".

Shortly after 5pm they were joined by Mr Rogers's partner Jeanette King, as well as Mr Tierney and Stephen Trigwell, who had spent the afternoon at a classic car show near Worthing.

Mr Mackay, owner of the Seadoo, and Mr Rogers, owner of the Blue Sunset, had only recently bought their boats and were keen to show them off.

Ian Langan was especially keen to travel on the Seadoo and initially the plan was for all seven to travel on that boat.

As Mr Tierney later ruefully admitted: "I really wish we had stuck to that plan now."

Instead, between Hanrahans and the moored boats, it was decided Mr Rogers, Ms King and Cliff Langan would take the Blue Sunset and join the Seadoo outside the marina borders.

It was while waiting in the marina locks for the Blue Sunset that Mr Mackay first began displaying his liking for "doughnuts".

Mr Trigwell told the court Mr Mackay performed four 360-degree turns, while other witnesses spoke of their concerns about doing such manoeuvres in a cramped, congested area.

The two boats left the marina at about 6.40pm, with the Blue Sunset about 500 yards ahead and both travelling at speeds of up to 50 knots.

Having started out with Mr Rogers at the wheel, control of the Blue Sunset passed to Mr Langan as they left the marina.

Mr Tierney said they were going "bloody fast", while Mr Trigwell revealed he wanted Mr Mackay to slow down a little.

The Seadoo's speed, and the increasingly blustery conditions, caused Mr Mackay to lose his footing at one point and also knocked over the bottles of beer on board.

Mr Trigwell, who, like Mr Tierney, had drunk just one beer before leaving, threw his bottle overboard while Ian Langan's fell to the floor.

As the two boats approached the Palace Pier, the Blue Sunset began a large 360-degree loop, within which the Seadoo performed a similar, smaller manoeuvre. Coming out of the loop, the Seadoo then overtook the Blue Sunset before crossing in front of it.

Mr Trigwell and Mr Smart described how the Seadoo veered towards the beach before turning back on itself by 180 degrees.

About 50 yards away from the Blue Sunset, it then crossed back in front of the other boat before Mr Mackay carried out the doughnut and slowed down.

Mr Trigwell thought the engine had "stalled" but even if the engine was still powered, investigators believe the boat was almost stationary.

The Blue Sunset was still travelling at an estimated 20 to 25 knots and ploughed into the side of the Seadoo.

Mr Tierney ducked his head and shoulders out of the way of the blade but was still hit and knocked to the deck.

Mr Langan was knocked overboard and suffered multiple injuries from the propeller blade. His severed hand fell on to Mr Tierney's shoulder.

Cliff Langan said the bow of his boat had obscured his vision of the Seadoo, which he did not see until too late.

He told police: "It just ended up in front of me. I don't know how. I saw Glen looking really surprised then we just impacted."

Mr Mackay told the police he had not seen the Blue Sunset over his shoulder until it was too late, when he tried in vain to veer out of the way.

He said: "At all times I was aware of boats around me up until the time I last looked at the boat that hit me.

"I was being vigilant but the boat was so far behind me and I dismissed it. I didn't expect it in such a short space of time to be on top of us."

Lifeboatmen who interviewed Mr Mackay not long after the crash said he had admitted to "playing around", a comment he later denied making.

The crash happened about seven minutes after leaving the marina.

As the stunned passengers began to come to terms with the crash, Cliff Langan made a mayday call and Mr Trigwell dialled 999 on his mobile.

Lifeboat crews and a police helicopter began searching for the missing man, while paramedics treated Mr Tierney and Mr Trigwell.

The boats were then escorted back to the marina, with a traumatised Mr Langan drinking another two cans of Stella.

He was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by police who noted he was slurring his speech and seemed unsteady on his feet.

Police made similar observations of Mr Mackay, also taken into custody for the night, and Mr Rogers.

Mr Tierney and Mr Trigwell were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

That night, the Langan family were aware something terrible had happened but did not learn until 6am the following day what had happened to whom.

Ian Langan, a keen seagoer who often made two boat trips a week, had been preparing to propose to his partner on the night of his death.

Minutes after the jury delivered their verdict, a shocked Cliff Langan said: "I feel I'm being made a scapegoat."

He has spent the past year in counselling but believes any progress has been wiped out by sitting through this week's harrowing hearing.

He said: "I'm still feeling numb. All my psychologist's good work has gone out of the window. It was an accident, pure and simple. We all went out as friends to have fun."

Earlier this year, Mr Langan launched a sea safety awareness campaign, focusing on the need for people to have lifejackets on-board their boats.

He organised an inaugural Sea Safety Awareness Day to mark the first anniversary of his brother's death and wants to see stricter controls of people driving boats.

Mr Mackay did not attend court yesterday and was not prepared to comment.