Peter Colville, 58, was on a family holiday to Alanya, Turkey, with 10 family members, including his children and grandchildren, when he died on a ‘luxury pirate ship’ boat trip

Kelly-Ann Kiernan News Reporter

05:00, 25 Sep 2025

.Peter Colville, 60.(Image: Nakita Colville / SWNS)

A father tragically lost his life on a pirate ship whilst holidaying in Turkey with his family, and was reportedly covered with a towel before staff continued to host a foam party.

British man Peter Colville was enjoying a family holiday in Alanya, accompanied by 10 family members, including his children and grandchildren. They all embarked on a €230 ‘luxury pirate ship’ boat trip – aboard the Legend Big Kral – which offered entertainment, DJs, snorkelling and a foam party, alongside approximately 600 other guests.

However, during the second swim stop near Cleopatra Beach, property maintenance boss Peter vanished. Shortly afterwards, swimmers discovered him floating face-up, unconscious in the water, and hauled him onto the deck, where they began performing CPR.

His daughter, Nakita Colville, 27, who witnessed the horrifying incident in July, claimed the “unbothered and clueless” staff on board “just stood there watching”. She stated that the barman pronounced him dead before staff covered his body and face with a towel.

.Peter Colville with Nakita when she was little.(Image: Nakita Colville / SWNS).Peter Colville.(Image: Nakita Colville / SWNS)

The coastguard arrived and Peter was rushed to hospital where his death was confirmed. While the family – including two of his grandchildren – were escorted off the boat, the party carried on, with crew hosting a foam party for the remaining shocked passengers, according to Nakita, reports the Mirror.

Nakita, an admin assistant from Woking, Surrey, said: “When my brother-in-law emerged from the sea after his swim, he turned around when he realised my dad was no longer behind him. Then we heard people shouting for help and saw my dad in the water, face up, with people trying to get him out.

“One of the other guests began giving CPR while the crew members just stood there with their arms crossed. Other guests were screaming and crying, my family was hysterical. We were living the worst moments of our lives but as soon as we were taken off, the crew just apologised to guests because the foam party was delayed, I’ve been told.

“My dad was the loveliest dad and grandad and he deserved to be treated with respect – and he wasn’t. We can’t say it was the company’s fault that he died, but maybe he could’ve been saved – and how it was dealt with was awful.”

Nakita, her daughter, parents, two sisters and their families, jetted off to Alanya on July 20. Whilst a fellow holidaymaker performed CPR on Peter, the family looked on in terror and Nakita’s mum and Peter’s wife, Rosalind Colville, 53, collapsed from shock.

Nakita said: “My sister and I were just holding my dad’s hand, screaming. As far as we knew, or he knew, he was healthy – we have no idea what happened. He was smart – if he had been, or felt, unwell, he wouldn’t have got in the water.”

Nakita reckons the vessel was transporting more than 600 passengers, though the Big Kral Legend’s Tripadvisor page states the boat can accommodate 1,200. Based on UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency guidelines, all vessels should conduct a risk assessment, but “as a general guide, boats in regular operation carrying in excess of 100 persons” should be equipped with a defibrillator.

Nakita was forced to deliver the devastating news by telephone to her four brothers and their families. She remarked: “Our dad was so lovely – the best dad and grandad to all his grandchildren. I keep forgetting what happened and then it hits you all over again.”

.Rosalind and Peter Colville on the boat trip. (Image: Nakita Colville / SWNS).Peter Colville’s funeral. (Image: Nakita Colville / SWNS)

Postmortem examinations were carried out in Turkey and the UK. Nakita revealed neither could establish a cause of death so inquiries are continuing.

One Tripadvisor review from the day stated: “He was laid on the deck – and then nothing. No proper procedures, no clearing the deck from onlookers, no immediate CPR. A crew member looked into his eyes and declared him dead.”

Another commented: “After the life guard come to take the guy away we were simply told the emergency was over and they continued to play loud music and try to sell more photos.”

A third remarked: “The way it was handled by the crew was nothing short of horrifying. It is unsafe, unprofessional, and the crew is neither trained nor emotionally capable of handling emergencies – or tragedies. A man died. And they carried on like it meant nothing.”

Nakita stated: “I saw it happen but somehow it still feels like he’ll walk back through the door any minute now. All we know is that he deserved so much better than what he got on that boat.”

Big Kral Pirate Boats did not respond to a request for comment.

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