Sailor says conditions were difficult at time that 15-year-old girl died in Southampton Water

The 15-year-old girl was killed after a rigid inflatable boat (rib) hit a buoy in Southampton Water off Netley on Saturday morning.

Twelve people who had been travelling in the rigid inflatable boat (RIB) were taken to hospital following the accident at 10.10am.

A 15-year-old girl was pronounced dead in hospital, Hampshire Constabulary said.

The force said it is now working with the Coastguard and Marine Accident Investigation Branch to establish what happened.

It said the victim's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

A local mariner told the PA news agency that conditions in the Solent had been very difficult on Saturday, with strong spring tides coupled with winds of 8 on the Beaufort Scale at times - up to 46mph.

He said that navigation markers in the Solent were usually very large, and could be the size of a small car.

‘In a RIB at high speed if you hit something at high speed everyone gets thrown forward like on a fairground ride.

‘People are usually holding on to the seat in front so you often see crushing injuries because it is decelerating so fast, so you see things like crushed ribs.’

No-one in a RIB would be strapped in, he said, because if the vessel were to flip over everyone would be trapped underwater.

The coastguard said it received multiple 999 calls in the wake of the crash.

A spokeswoman said: ‘Three lifeboats, a coastguard rescue team and the ambulance service were all called to assist.

‘There were some injuries and the 12 people who were on board were taken to shore and handed into the care of the ambulance service.’

Hamble Independent Lifeboat was sent out to the incident.

Duty Coxswain Peter Brown said that passing boats had assisted four casualties requiring urgent medical care out of the water.A statement said: ‘As the first to arrive at the scene, Hamble Independent Lifeboat co-ordinated the emergency services response, provided initial treatment and ensured safe evacuation of these casualties into waiting ambulances. Hamble's crew included a qualified paramedic.‘RNLI Calshot were requested to support the incident along with Hillhead Coastguard Rescue Team, South Coast Ambulance Service and Hampshire police to assist with further casualties.’HLB chairman James Godwin said: ‘Hamble Independent Lifeboat are proud to work alongside the RNLI and other emergency services colleagues.’

A spokesman for the South Central Ambulance Service said that no-one else involved in the crash suffered life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with any information about the incident or may have captured footage of it is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 554.