British tourist electrocuted and drowned in St Lucia

Tragic accident kills Hannah Defoe, 20-year-old cousin of England striker Jermain Defoe.

CASTRIES, St Lucia, Monday August 06, 2012 – An autopsy conducted on the body of 20-year-old British national Hannah Defoe has revealed that the vacationing Englishwoman’s death in St Lucia was due to drowning secondary to electrocution.

The freak accident that claimed the life of England footballer Jermain Defoe’s cousin has attracted international attention.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker was on the club's pre-season tour of America when he was informed of the tragedy and was allowed to return to the United Kingdom to be with his family.

A statement on Tottenham's website said: "Jermain Defoe is to return home from our pre-season tour of the United States after receiving the tragic news of the death of his cousin Hannah Defoe while on holiday in St Lucia.

"Everyone at the club sends their sincere condolences to Jermain and his family and all our thoughts are with them at this sad time."

The British Foreign Office confirmed the death and an FCO spokeswoman said: "We are aware of a death of a British national in St Lucia. We are currently offering consular assistance to the family."

Hannah Defoe, a performing arts student, was electrocuted as she dived into a hotel swimming pool in St Lucia, according to reports.

At the time of the incident, she was staying at Juliette’s Lodge, a hotel in Beanfield, Vieux Fort, and was looking forward to attending a wedding ceremony last Saturday. 

Reports also indicated that Hannah's mother Janet was taken to hospital after getting an electric shock as she tried to save her daughter.

Since the young woman’s death, family members have been calling on the relevant authorities in St Lucia to provide answers. Police investigations were said to be ongoing.

Hannah’s cousin Jermain released a statement last weekend, prior to the post-mortem conducted on Monday. In the statement, which was published in Britain’s Daily Star newspaper, the Spurs soccer star said he was “extremely concerned” about the way in which the matter is being handled.

“I am devastated that my beautiful and talented young cousin went on holiday and this horrific tragedy happened,” Defoe said. “I am now extremely concerned over the handling of the situation and I hope that my family are given the support required in order to receive an explanation as to how this could have happened and for measures to be taken to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”  

It is the latest tragedy to strike the 29-year-old footballer.

He was forced to fly home from England's Euro 2012 camp in Poland last month following the death of his father from cancer.

His half-brother Jade, 26, died in 2009 following a street attack in east London. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)