Windermere Boat Tragedy: Pair Killed By Fumes

A woman and her 10-year-old daughter died on a motor cruiser on Lake Windermere after being poisoned by carbon monoxide fumes, an investigation has found.

The fumes, from a generator whose improvised exhaust and silencer system had become detached, spread into the cabin where Kelly Webster, 36, and Lauren Thornton, were asleep.

"The boat's carbon monoxide sensor system did not alarm because it was not connected to a power supply," said an interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

The tragedy occurred on the Bayliner 285 motor cruiser Arniston on April 1 - Easter Monday.

Ms Webster and Lauren, both from Leyland in Lancashire, were on board the vessel with its owner Matthew Eteson, who was Ms Webster's partner.

Mr Eteson, 39, also from Leyland, was sleeping in the forward cabin. When he woke up he was also suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, but managed to raise the alarm.

Unfortunately, it was too late to save the mother and daughter.

The MAIB report said: "A 'suitcase' type portable, petrol-driven generator had been installed in the motor cruiser's engine bay to supply the boat with 240v power.

"The generator had been fitted with an improvised exhaust and silencer system which had become detached from both the generator and the outlet on the vessel's side.

"As a result, the generator's exhaust fumes filled the engine bay and spread through gaps in an internal bulkhead into the aft cabin where the mother and daughter were asleep."

The report said the incident raised a number of safety issues, not least that engine exhaust systems should be fitted by qualified engineers and properly maintained.

A full report will be issued later.