Heart-wrenching video captures a father cradling his newborn on a yacht, mere moments before a fatal jetski accident claimed his life in front of his partner.
Ali Watson, 28, was relishing a day on the water with his girlfriend, Charlotte Lescott, and their daughter, Soulie, in Dubai. The British family had recently relocated there from Coventry in pursuit of a brighter future.
Tragically, not long after, Ali decided to take a ride on a jetski. According to an inquest, another jetski operated at high speed by an instructor, who had a female passenger, collided with him, leading to his untimely death.
In another tragic twist, Charlotte discovered Ali had cancelled their life insurance policy, and was unable to get the belongings they had shipped to Dubai because it was all in his name. She now uses TikTok to educate other families about the importance of having life insurance.
Video shared by his partner reveals the touching moment Ali held his infant daughter close aboard the yacht, just before the accident unfolded.
In the footage, Ali tenderly kisses his daughter’s cheek as she nestles into him, her tiny hands resting against his chest.
Charlotte captioned the video: ‘They don’t know it yet but five minutes later he will ride a jetski and a terrible accident will take his life.’
Charlotte recounted how what began as an ordinary day on December 6, 2020, swiftly turned into a devastating tragedy.
‘It felt like a normal day. We woke up, we went to the mall. He got onto a jetski, put his life jacket on, and I said “be safe, love you”, and that was the last time I ever spoke to him,’ she said.
Ali Watson (left) and his partner Charlotte Lescott (right) were on a yacht with their baby in Dubai minutes before the fatal jetski crash happened
‘I watched the accident happen; I saw it all. I let out the most horrifying scream.’
After learning their life insurance policy had been cancelled, Charlotte said: ‘You need to be aware of everything financially in the household. I don’t tolerate anything now, don’t just leave it to your partner.’
Ali had been working in the UAE as a marketing manager and went out on the organised boat trip in December 2020, having moved from the UK in September that year.
An inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court yesterday heard the father was riding one jetski when a second one collided with him.
The second jetski was being driven at a fast speed by an instructor with a female passenger onboard.
The coroner was told the passenger, who was a lifeguard, jumped off the water craft because she was frightened of the speed just before the collision happened.
Ali was thrown into the air and landed face down in the water. He died from blunt force chest wounds at the scene.
His stepfather John Watson said Ali was a ‘likeable character’ who had set up his own business in Dubai in 2020.
He had previous experience of riding jetskis and the ones used that day had been hired by the boat trip organisers.
The inquest heard suspended jail sentences and fines were handed out to those responsible for the crash.
The couple had moved from Britain to the United Arab Emirates weeks earlier
Charlotte said the family were enjoying a ‘normal day’ when tragedy struck on December 6, 2020
Assistant Devon coroner Luisa Nicholson said Ali died as a result of an accident.
Charlotte’s heartbreaking final words to her husband were ‘be safe, I love you’.
The mother, a content creator from Birmingham, said: ‘We went on a boat with a bunch of friends.
‘He was out in the water on a jetski and the instructor collided with him.
‘I was holding the baby on the boat and witnessed it.
‘The last thing I said was ‘be safe, I love you’.
‘My world stopped spinning the moment Ali died. I couldn’t function. The world around you is still carrying on.’
Charlotte and Ali met on Depop in 2018 when he messaged her after she bought some trainers off him.
The pair hit it off and moved in together three months later.
It was December 2019 when they found out they were expecting a baby together. The couple were over the moon, and then Soulie arrived on July 29, 2020.
Due to the restrictions in place in the UK the family decided to try out Dubai in September.
Charlotte said: ‘He really wasn’t happy in the UK. There was no quality of life. We ended up building a life there.
‘It was just nice. We had a better quality of life. We could take Soulie swimming. I felt life was complete.’
But Charlotte’s world came crashing down just weeks later.
She said: ‘Even when I saw the crash I didn’t think the worst.
‘I thought he’d have a broken leg. Death doesn’t go through your mind.
‘When my friend said Char you need to sit down – I knew what she was going to say. I just felt my whole world had collapsed.
‘I just remember screaming at the top of my lungs.’
She said she struggled to keep going for Soulie when she found out their life insurance policy wasn’t active.
The couple were over the moon when they found out Charlotte were pregnant
Now she raises awareness to make sure others are financially aware and to keep Ali’s memory alive.
She said: ‘It had been cancelled. We had a lot of stuff in a shipment. A lot of Soulie’s clothes, the cot.
‘I couldn’t get it released to me because it was in Ali’s name.
‘Me and my baby had literally nothing. When you lose someone unexpectedly, life stops. You still have to pay rent or mortgage and bills.
‘They don’t stop but you have stopped.’
Now Charlotte is in a better place and has an open conversation with Soulie about her dad.
She said: ‘If I didn’t have her I would be lost. I had to carry on because she was a new born. Soulie is very aware of her dad. She’s dreams of him. She’s got his eyes. She’s very fragile, sensitive and very kind.
‘She’s such a ray of sunshine. I just want to protect her at all costs.’
Charlotte did have family and friends to support her when she was back in the UK but felt embarrassed to ask for help sometimes.
She said: ‘I was embarrassed to ask family. I didn’t want to say ‘can you help me financially?’ You don’t want to think about paying the bills.
‘I didn’t take ownership of my finances.’
Charlotte now wants to make sure others are not relying on their partners financially and have life insurance – like Mumsurance – in place.
She said: ‘Be aware of it for yourself. Don’t just rely on him.’
