A millionaire British mother-of-four killed by a speedboat while swimming in the sea may have waved frantically to get the driver’s attention before he hit her, a coroner has heard today.
Witnesses said they saw experienced swimmer Claire Glatman waving her arms in the water for several minutes after being hit by the boat.
But Coroner Ioannis Aivatidis, who is investigating Ms Glatman’s death, said it was ‘not impossible’ she had been desperately trying to get the speedboat driver’s attention as they drove off approached her.
Ms Glatman, 60, died when she was hit by a speedboat that did not stop on Monday while she was swimming off Avlaki beach, north of the Greek holiday island .
Mr Aivatidis also confirmed that Greek police had started carrying out forensic tests on two boats, including one belonging to a millionaire UK hedge fund boss.
Ms Glatman, 60, wife of multi-millionaire property tycoon Mark (pictured together), was killed when she was struck by the vessel while at sea off Avlaki beach
Greek police examine a speedboat (above) belonging to British millionaire hedge fund boss Rob Lucas, 58, as part of their investigation into Ms Glatman’s death
The speedboat (above) – a 25ft long Scorpion RIB with a powerful outboard motor – was inspected by the coroner
A location map shows where Ms Glatman suffered her fatal injuries at Avlaki beach and where the speedboat suspected of hitting her was later found at Agios Stefanos beach.
Corfu Port Authority investigators seized both boats so tests could be carried out to try to establish whether one was the one that hit Ms Glatman.
One of the vessels – a 25ft Scorpion RIB with a powerful outboard motor – is owned by Rob Lucas, 58, who is the managing partner of global investment firm CVC Capital Partners.
It is understood Port Police spoke to him, his 18-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter, but they strongly denied involvement in the crash.
The family insists that she was only questioned as a witness by the Port Authority of Corfu and that she was in another part of the bay at the time of the accident.
Coroner Ioannis Aivatidis speaks to reporters
Mr Lucas’ boat and another believed to belong to a Greek were hauled out of the water and taken to the port of Gouvia, near Corfu town, for examination.
Ms Glatman from Bedale, North Yorkshire, who was an experienced swimmer, was staying with her millionaire property developer husband Mark, 63, and one of their daughters at their villa in Corfu which they have owned for seven years.
Corfu Coroner Mr Aivatidis visited the port today, accompanied by two armed police, and said he would examine both boats to see if either was involved.
He told a MailOnline reporter: ‘There are two speedboats I need to look at to see if there is any possibility of identifying (what caused) these injuries.
“I want to see if they are compatible or consistent with the autopsy results. It can be compatible or incompatible.’
He added: “The owners are of course under investigation.”
Mr Aivatidis said he was assisting harbor police and trying to determine whether the propeller on either boat could have caused Ms Glatman’s injuries.
He said: “There was no hope that this woman would survive her injuries. There were internal and external bleeding.
“There were injuries to the chest, left arm and abdomen, typical of propeller injuries. His right pelvis was also fractured.
Mr Aivatidis said she died of loss of blood after being hit by a boat while swimming offshore and did not drown.
He said ‘I would like to say that this woman had no signs of drowning. There was no seawater suction. It looks like it was caused by the sudden movement of a motor boat.
“I can’t say the speed of the boat, but of course it was at a certain speed.”
Mr Alvatidis added: ‘I will be looking for genetic material to see if there is any evidence of it for DNA analysis.’
Pictured is a file photo of Avlaki beach, where Ms Glatman tragically died on Monday
The coroner suggested that the pattern of Ms Glatman’s injuries suggested it was ‘possible’ the boat operator had been trying desperately to get away to avoid her in the water.
Mr Aivatidis also said Ms Glatman was far from shore, but he was unable to confirm reports that she may have swum 300 meters from the beach.
He said: “It looks like it was a sudden direction… It’s possible that the first part of his body that was injured was his left hand. It’s all a matter of logic. Anyone can give an explanation.
Mr Alvatidis said Ms Glatman’s body was identified in a hospital morgue by his daughter
It is believed that the Lucas family owns a luxury house in Corfu.
Local rules in Corfu state that swimmers should not be more than 200m from shore unless they have a special buoy to make themselves more visible to boat users.
Ms Glatman fell in love with Mr Glatman on the island 30 years ago and the couple bought a villa more recently, the Telegraph reported.
A friend who chose to remain anonymous told the newspaper that Ms Glatman was an experienced swimmer.
Ms Glatman swam in place every day on the island, Corfu Press reported, citing family friends.
Villagers in Ms Glatman’s hometown of Well, where they lived in historic Well Hall, were shocked by the death of the ‘beautiful soul’.
A neighbor said: ‘This is terrible news. She loved Corfu and they spent a lot of time there, but she was also a popular person around Well.
They added: “I knew her as a beautiful soul, friendly and very young at heart.”
Another villager said: ‘We had a scarecrow festival this weekend and the whole village came together and had a fantastic time, but it really brought us down to earth.
Port authorities are involved in the investigation. Pictured: A Greek Coast Guard vessel
‘What a horrible thing that happened. My thoughts are with Mark and the rest of the family.
The couple’s house was a large walled property, complete with a swimming pool and tennis courts.
They also owned a £3million townhouse in Knightsbridge in London as well as the villa in Corfu.
Mrs Glatman, née Glover, was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and her husband was a solicitor who became an influential commercial property developer.
He established the Abstract group of companies in 2000, focusing on real estate development and investment and venture capital projects.
The net worth of his businesses is over £83 million.
