Alan Whittley’s lawyer blames conditions, engine fault for Canberra teen’s death
A court has heard about the final moments of a Canberra teenager’s life just before she drowned after a boat she was in capsized on the south coast.
The South Coast News
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A court has heard harrowing details of the final moments of a Canberra teenager who died on the south coast when a boat she was in capsized in 2018.
Lawyers for Alan Whittley, 32, a member of a well-known Melbourne boatbuilding family, who skippered the small boat at Moruya, have told Nowra District Court unexpected waves and an engine fault were to blame for the tragedy.
The court heard the 13-year-old was trapped in the cabin and could be heard banging on the boat before she drowned.
Mr Whittley, from Patterson Lakes in Victoria, pleaded not guilty in Nowra District Court on Monday to culpably navigating in a dangerous manner causing death by impact over the incident.
Mr Whittley’s defence counsel Arthur Moses told the court the incident occurred because of unexpected waves and an engine fault.
Mr Moses told the court there was “no dispute” Mr Whittley was at the helm of the 6.2m Whittley-brand cabin cruiser when the boat crashed.
Crown prosecutor Michael Fox told jurors Mr Whittley failed to check weather conditions and did not follow safety guidelines while trying to cross the bar in rough waters.
Prosecutors alleged no one in the boat was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.
Mr Whittley belongs to a Melbourne boatbuilding family which is well-known in the industry and has been active for more than 50 years.
The company has a big operation at Somerton in Melbourne’s north and Mr Whittley has worked as its business development manager.
Authorities said at the time the teen was caught under the vessel when it overturned during an attempt to cross the Moruya River bar.
Police previously said the girl was trapped underwater for between 20 and 40 minutes.
Five other passengers were thrown from the boat when it was hit by waves and were rescued a short time later.
NSW Coroner Doug Dick suspended an inquest into the girl’s death in 2019.
He referred the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and charges were later laid against Mr Whittley.
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
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