The father of a British teenager who plunged to her death in a parasailing accident on a Greek island has returned to the very spot where she tragically lost her life.
Tony Hayes, 43, made the 1,800-mile journey to Rhodes for the first time since his daughter, Jessica, 15, and her cousin, Mikey Connelly, 13, perished after falling onto rocks below in 2020. He laid two white roses in the sand just hours before the watersports operator responsible for the excursion was due to face criminal proceedings in court.
Nikos Mallios, 57, stands accused of violating numerous health and safety regulations after the rope connecting Jessica and Mikey to his speedboat snapped, sending them plummeting to the ground. Michael's elder brother James, then 15, was also being towed on the "three-man ride" but remarkably survived. The Mirror accompanied Tony as he revisited the same beach where he had waved Jessica off and told her: "We love you."
In an exclusive interview, Tony said: "I never want anyone to have to experience anything as traumatic as this. Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen. I need to come back to re-live some parts of it so I can process it." He added: "It's difficult to be here. It's very, very hard. What's hard for people to understand is that it's been five and a half years. But for us it feels like it's still exactly the same day. That time has passed but because of what happened and the court case is ongoing, we haven't had a resolution to that."
Tony, from Corby, Northants, went to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil's surprise 65th birthday. The couple were on holiday with Kayleigh's brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. In the days before the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James played games and watched bands in the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was "So I look at a picture of Jess, or see a video of her, and I can't process what happened. I've had to have PTSD counselling. But it's difficult because I can't remember the good times because I'm consumed with the ongoing case.", reports the Mirror.
"When I look at the hotel I have so many mixed emotions. So I have this moment where the family is together and we were having a really lovely time. Then it all changes in a moment. On that day we didn't overly consider the risk that was involved. It's so important we get justice. It's important a message goes out to people."
Tony's visit back to Lindos, Rhodes, marks the latest chapter in his five-year quest for justice following Jessica and Mikey's deaths. Tomorrow Mr Mallios, 57, will appear at Rhodes Courthouse where, if found guilty, he could face imprisonment for failures which left Tony and his wife, Kayleigh, 39, a catering manager, heartbroken. Three British witnesses - who were holidaying at the time of the tragedy - have journeyed to Rhodes to provide eyewitness testimony. Tony said: "I want him to go to prison, I want it to be long. I think it would help me come to terms with what happened. It might mean that instead of looking of pictures of Jessica and thinking of her death, I'd be thinking of happier times. But I'm also a bit scared about the legal case coming to an end. This feels like the last thing I have been able to do for Jessica. "I've felt like I'm still able to do something as her dad, for her. When this is over, I won't have any more dad duties."
Tony, from Corby, Northants, travelled to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil's surprise 65th birthday. The pair were holidaying with Kayleigh's brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. During the days preceding the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James enjoyed games and watched bands at the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was "the best holiday she'd ever had".
On October 28 they reserved places on Mr Mallios' boat in Lardos Bay after spotting the rides on an advertising board near the hotel. Tony bid farewell at 12.30pm on the beach outside the hotel, but never saw them again. He said: "Jessica was having a great holiday. There are pictures of James and Jessica revising because they were preparing for their mock exams."
Tony, from Corby, Northants, went to the Greek island in 2020 with his wife Kayleigh for his father-in-law Phil's surprise 65th birthday. The couple were on holiday with Kayleigh's brother Phillip Connelly and wife Sharon – parents of James and Mikey. In the days before the accident, Jessica, Mikey and James played games and watched bands in the hotel. Jessica told her parents the day before she died it was "We had some special moments the night before. She had danced with her grandad and said she was having a great time. The night before she slipped in the shower and bumped her head. Me and Kayleigh lay in the bed with her."
"We didn't know at that time that it would be the last time we would be that close." Tony added: "When Jessica, James and Mikey were getting on the boat, we told them we loved them and gave them a cuddle. When we said goodbye, all of the family was together. Instead of staying in front of the hotel, the boat started heading around the bend in the coast. Straight away we knew something wasn't right."
A storm broke out and when the rope snapped the parachute veered wildly towards the rocky coastline where the children sustained catastrophic injuries. James spent more than two weeks in a coma before being airlifted back to the UK. Tony said: "The next thing we knew, the boat had come back and everyone was crying." The families were initially informed that two of the children had sustained broken bones while the third was alive but in a far more critical condition.
It was only when Sharon and Kayleigh forced their way into the hospital that nurses revealed Jessica and Mikey had passed away. Mr Mallios was arrested and bailed while prosecutors deliberated over whether he should face manslaughter charges. Legal representatives acting on behalf of the families in Greece — led by solicitor George Moschos — assert that triple-seat parasailing is prohibited, as is taking children under 14. They also allege Mr Mallios may have violated regulations by operating in adverse weather conditions and venturing beyond a designated watersports zone. However, Jessica's death has left an indelible mark on Tony's life, and he remains consumed by remorse for permitting her to participate in the excursion.
He said: "I should have been far more cautious. I could have just said no. I have a lot of guilt about that. I struggle a lot with the fact I could have ultimately made the decision for them not to go out on the parasail. For me that's hard. I don't want to tell people going on holiday: 'Be super cautious, don't enjoy yourself.' But watersports companies should be operating to the highest standards and not cutting corners because it puts people's lives at risk. They have to protect the tourists who put their faith in them. We also want the authorities that oversee these companies to enforce the law."
Despite being the subject of a criminal investigation, Mr Mallios was not detained and remained free to conduct operations from the identical location where he collected Jessica, Mikey and James. In 2022 the Mirror disclosed he was transporting successive groups of thrill-seekers out to sea on €75 excursions. Exclusive photographs revealed the tanned watersports operator launching his vivid yellow speedboat, bearing the word "parasailing" across its hull. Tony said today: "He's been able to continue operating despite what happened. How many British tourists has he unknowingly taken up in his parasail? If he were a truck driver and he'd killed someone then they would have taken his licence off him."
Mr Mallios is also due to face far more serious charges in Kos later this year.
