Nick Milligan Padstow speedboat death inquest begins

Nick Milligan and his daughter Emily were killed after being thrown from a speedboat

An inquest into the deaths of a father and daughter who died after being thrown from a speedboat in Cornwall has been opened.

Nick Milligan, 51, and daughter Emily, eight, died in the incident on 5 May near Padstow in Cornwall.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the vessel's kill cord - which would have cut the engines - was not being used.

Truro Coroner's Court adjourned the case for further investigation.

The MAIB report said the engine continued running and "as the boat circled, it ran over the family in the water a number of times".

Mr Milligan's wife Victoria, 39, and son Kit, four, were severely injured after the family were thrown into the waters of the Camel Estuary.

The couple's other children, Amber, 12, and Olivia, 10, escaped serious injury.

Cornwall Coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, was told that Mr Milligan had been identified at the time of the accident by a member of the public.

His daughter Emily was formally identified through the use of DNA.

Dr Carlyon confirmed that their bodies could now be released to the family.