A seven-year-old British girl has been killed in a speedboat accident while on holiday with her parents in Albania.
Jonada Avdia was playing in the sea in the south of the country when she was killed on Tuesday at around 2pm, according to local media.
The seven-year-old, reportedly from Barking in east London, was fatally injured when an off-duty policeman, Arjan Tase, drove a speedboat through an area that was sectioned off for swimmers only.
Jonada was hit by the boat’s spinning propeller blades which “caused serious injuries that led to immediate loss of life,” according to local police.
Tase has since been arrested and is being investigated for negligent homicide.
An additional 15 police officers who were meant to be guarding the water at the time have been fired.
Police have said that Tase was dropping members of his family at the shore of Potam beach when the crash happened.
After his relatives disembarked, he put the boat back in the water in the same area and hit Jonada while she was just 15ft away from the shore.
The tragic incident has sparked protests against police across the country, as marchers clashed with officers in the capital of Tirana on Thursday.
The protestors are calling for the resignation of the interior minister, the head of police, and the tourism minister as a result of Jonada’s death.
Mirela Kumbaro, the tourism minister, also blamed the national chief of police for the fatal crash.
She told Albanian Daily News: “With awareness that there are no words to serve as a consolation for the parents, the family for the tragedy they suffered, the request goes to justice to do its job, without compromise, with maximum punishment for anyone who breaks the law.
“The request goes to the state police as well, to each of its employees in the territory, to be at the level of vigilance and punishment that the uniform imposes on them.”
