Girl, 11, dies after falling into path of speedboat

An 11-year-old girl has died after she fell off a banana water sled and was struck by a speedboat.

Mari-Simon Cronje suffered fatal injuries in the accident in a lake at the Princes Sporting Club in Middlesex .

A 22-year-old man, understood to be the driver of the motorboat which had been towing the girl, was arrested and released on bail.

Mari-Simon was taken to West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth where she died on Saturday evening. The club, which closed after the incident to allow investigations to be carried out, said in a statement: "Princes Sporting Club and everyone associated with it is devastated by the accident. At this terrible time our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Mari-Simon Cronje's family and friends.

"The accident is being investigated by the police and other authorities and they can rely on our complete co-operation."

The Metropolitan Police said officers from the Specialist Crime Directorate are investigating, alongside investigators from the Department for Transport's Maritime Accident Investigation Branch.

"At this early stage, we believe the girl was on an inflatable 'banana boat' which was being towed by a motorboat when she fell into the water," a force spokesman said. "Inquiries continue to establish the full circumstances of the incident."

The spokesman said a post-mortem examination would be carried out.

The Princes Club website states it is Europe's "largest waterski and wakeboard facility".