Bermuda man in boat crash that killed Kiwi Mary McKee pleads not guilty

NZ woman Mary Elizabeth McKee, 62, died in a boat accident in June while in Bermuda. Photo / Supplied

A man involved in a boating accident in Bermuda, which killed a New Zealand woman there to watch the America's Cup, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Local man Andrew Lake, 26, will go on trial in April next year after making the plea in relation to the manslaughter of Kiwi Mary Elizabeth McKee, the Royal Gazette reported.

The newspaper said Lake appeared in the Supreme Court late last week and was released on bail.

McKee died after the vessel she was in with her husband, Arthur McKee, and another man collided with Lake's boat in June. Lake also denied causing injuries to McKee's 69-year-old husband and their friend, who was also visiting the area, "by driving in a dangerous manner", the newspaper said.

The McKees, from Christchurch, were said to be big supporters of Team New Zealand and had been visiting Bermuda in support of its America's Cup campaign.

Police earlier arrested Lake for alleged impaired operation of a watercraft.

A police statement released at the time said he had passed a breath test but remained in custody pending further inquiries.

The owner of a local charter vessel, UberVida, told the Royal Gazette his crew responded to a call for help and found Mary Elizabeth McKee.

They carried out CPR, but she was unresponsive.

"Unfortunately, the result wasn't what we wanted. Everyone was pretty upset,'' he told the paper.

Bermuda Police said then the local man was driving a 5m centre console vessel from Front Street Ferry Terminal towards White's Island.

The boat collided with a 2.7m Zodiac inflatable carrying three people who were thrown overboard.

"The collision was witnessed by passengers of another small boat nearby and they were able to render immediate assistance," local police said. "The occupants of the Zodiac all received injuries.

"The Bermuda Police Service extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased."

As members of the McKee family organised flights to get to Arthur McKee's bedside, the father and sister of Australian yachtie and Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill took it upon themselves to go and see Arthur McKee in hospital after hearing about the incident.

A New Zealand-based friend of the Spithill family, Aaron Torenson, told the Herald at the time:

"They just literally got into gear and went up [to the hospital] and started communicating with the family back in New Zealand.

"[They] bought him a cell phone, loaded all the family numbers into the phone for him, stayed with him, talked to the doctors, shared information with the family overseas.''

A family notice published shortly after the accident said she was mum to Elliott, Guy, Missy and Lucy and grandmother to Poppy and Grace.

"We are all shocked and struggling to come to terms with our devastating loss.''