Torment for family of Fife man killed in jetski accident in Thailand

The grieving family of a Kirkcaldy man who died in a jet ski accident in Thailand say their torment is being prolonged by having to wait to find out exactly how he died.

George McKechnie (45), was just days into a week-long holiday in Pattaya with a friend when he died on the morning of June 3 on a busy beach.

However, his parents Sheila and John say they have been given conflicting reports on how he died, and they are trying to get the exact details surrounding his death in order to rule out foul play.

Sheila (64), a retired social worker, told the Press: “On his death certificate it says he died en route to the hospital from a cardiac arrest.

“However, when we asked for a copy of the police report, we were given a provisional one and it said that it was death by drowning.

“We have been told that there was a girl on the back of the jetski who was not injured.

‘‘We have been told that he had head injuries, that he didn’t have head injuries, and that there were internal injuries. We just want some answers.

“I have asked for a full post mortem report and a copy of the police report, but we have been told that it could be at least 45-60 working days until that is available.

“We now have his body home, but we are worried that if the post mortem wasn’t done properly or there are doubts then the longer we wait the more difficult it will be if we have to have another one done here.”

Dad John (63), a retired process worker, added: “I don’t know if we will ever get the truth.

“George had been out to Thailand four times before and knew the area.

‘‘He had also been on jet skis before, so we are finding it very difficult to take in.”

George, who lived in Beatty Crescent, grew up in Kirkcaldy, attending Sinclairtown Primary and Viewforth High Schools before doing an apprenticeship in painting and decorating with Fife Council.

When that work dried up, he went to work in Kinghorn Tannery with his dad as a forklift operator then.

When the tannery closed, he went back to painting, and latterly was doing agency work all over Fife, Edinburgh and Dundee.

He has an older brother who is a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police in London.