British schoolgirl dies after boat ‘explodes’ during family holiday
- A 16-year-old British schoolgirl, Abbie Lainton, has died following a boat explosion while on a family holiday near Saona Island in the Dominican Republic.
- The blast left 24 other people injured, including Abbie’s two siblings, with 11 passengers taken to hospital to be treated for burns.
- Eyewitnesses reported that the vessel was “over-packed” and “smelled like gasoline” before an explosion occurred at the front of the boat as it accelerated.
- Authorities described the incident as “very tragic” and said that an investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway.
- The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is providing consular support to Abbie’s family, while a GoFundMe page set up in her memory has raised over £21,000.
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