THIS is the shocking moment a speedboat driver with a vessel full of passengers crashes into a teenage kayaker.
Alarming footage shows Adam Russell, 28, speeding through the waters of the River Cleddau, in South Wales.
Within seconds, Russell smashes into the 15-year-old kayaker and the boat goes straight over him.
Swansea Crown Court heard how the teen was left with cuts and bruising to his face and arms but miraculously came away without serious injury.
He hasn’t taken part in any water sports since the traumatic incident on August 11, 2024.
The court heard Russell had been seated while operating the single-engine duo-prop speedboat, White Mischief, at unsafe speeds.
This meant the bow was lifted and he couldn’t see what was in front of him on the water – despite carrying six passengers with him including children.
Meanwhile, his 15-year-old victim was in a brightly coloured kayak with a group wearing red life jackets.
The young kayaker noticed Russell’s boat speeding towards him and tried to desperately paddle out of the way.
After the incident, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) officers launched an investigation.
The MCA led the prosecution with support from Dyfed Powys Police and Milford Haven Port Authority.
Russell was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, in what was the first prosecution by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) under new watercraft safety legislation.
In addition to the suspended prison term, Russell must carry out 15 hours of required activity, 200 hours unpaid work and pay his victim a total of £1,676 in compensation for damage to property and personal injury, plus £3,000 prosecution costs.
Judge Geraint Walters said: “Just like our roads, our seas and our rivers are not playgrounds.
“They are required by all of us to recognise the risk to others innocently going about their business.”
MCA Investigator Paul Atkins added: “This case shows the importance of keeping a proper lookout and operating safely… if circumstances had been only slightly different, there could have been a terrible tragedy.
Port of Milford Haven Harbourmaster Mike Ryan said: “The incident on the Milford Haven Waterway was extraordinarily dangerous with a very real threat to life, yet it was also completely avoidable.
“We support the MCA’s decision to prosecute the defendant for failing to keep an effective lookout.
“It is an important reminder that not only do Waterway users have a responsibility to keep themselves and any passengers safe, but also a responsibility towards every other user of the Waterway.
“Keeping watch is one of the most important aspects of staying safe afloat: look ahead, look behind and look left and right, adjust your speed as necessary and take early, clear and decisive action to avoid collisions.”
