Former Portsmouth and Tottenham defender Anton Walkes died after horror jet ski collision, inquest heard

The defender was a passenger on the jet ski when it collided with a 46ft scarab boat near Miami Marine Stadium, Florida, on January 18 this year, Southwark Coroner’s Court heard today. Opening the inquest into Walkes’ death, assistant coroner Dr Julian Morris said the impact from the collision threw the 25-year-old from the jet ski.

He said: “He was, on January 18, a passenger on a jet ski when a 46ft scarab boat collided with them – ejecting Mr Walkes into the water. He was wearing a flotation device and was in the water for less than a minute.”

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Dr Morris said Walkes was never fully submerged in the water. The full-back, who was playing for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer at the time, was rushed to hospital.

The inquest heard that despite efforts of medical personnel he was pronounced dead on January 19. Dr Morris said the Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate had received “facial trauma” from the collision, and that his cause of death was recorded as blunt force trauma.

Walkes was initially signed for Pompey on loan by Kenny Jackett in January 2018 – scoring on his debut against Doncaster Rovers. The move was made permanent in the summer, with the club paying roughly £200,000 to bring him in on a two-year-deal.

He was used in multiple positions during his time at Fratton Park, playing at right-back, left-back, centre-half and in central-midfield. The defender came on as an extra-time substitute in the Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley in 2019 – which the Blues won on penalties against Sunderland after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

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Walkes made 66 appearances for Pompey, before returning to America in January 2020 to play for Atlanta United – a club which he had previously played for on loan.

The defender was then selected by Charlotte FC in the expansion draft. As previously reported in The News, owner David Tepper said: “He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met.

"Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch.”