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Grieving UK family stranded on yacht refused NZ entry after son killed in speedboat accident

6 minutes to read

Eddie Jarman, 14, was hit by a speedboat and killed off Moorea Island in French Polynesia on August 9. His family have been rejected entry into NZ border under humanitarian grounds. Photo / Supplied

Tom Dillane
By:

Tom Dillane is a reporter at the New Zealand Herald

Barbara Genda and Harry Jarman sold their UK house, bought a yacht and set off on a round-the-world trip which they hoped would forge everlasting memories for their children.

But tragedy struck when their 14-year-old son Eddie was struck by a jetboat and killed while checking the anchor.

Grief-stricken and unable to continue their journey, they say they are now stuck in French Polynesia after being denied entry into New Zealand to try to sell their boat so they can return home to West Sussex and try to restart their lives.

It was a bitter decision to swallow for the family who have watched as a stream of superyachts are given exemptions to enter New Zealand provided they spend at least $50,000 each in repair work at New Zealand marine businesses.

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Genda said she believes entry into New Zealand's border is a door opened by money.

"I feel it's one rule for them and one rule for us. Why all the superyachts have been approved and none of the yachts? It's for economic reasons."

Eddie Jarman, far left, and his sister Amelie, far right, with some friends they met on their global sailing trip. Photo / Supplied
Eddie Jarman, far left, and his sister Amelie, far right, with some friends they met on their global sailing trip. Photo / Supplied

The family set sail in their 17-metre yacht in January 2019.

On August 9 this year, their son Eddie died in an accident off Moorea Island, near Tahiti, which is the subject of a manslaughter inquiry.

The heartbroken family now floats indefinitely in French Polynesia on the boat which every day reminds them of their lost boy.

They are trying to sell their $1 million yacht - the only home they have - in order to return home to the UK and buy a house.

But with cyclone season bearing down, the family was on October 2 refused an exemption to enter New Zealand's maritime border for humanitarian reasons.

From left: Barbara Genda, 47, Eddie Jarman, 14, Amelie Jarman, 13, and Harry Jarman, 55.
From left: Barbara Genda, 47, Eddie Jarman, 14, Amelie Jarman, 13, and Harry Jarman, 55.

"In the whole uncertainty of our life ahead of us without Eddie, at least one certainty was we could go to New Zealand and very likely sell the boat and move on.

"Because of that rejection we will live in that uncertainty, and we live on a boat that reminds us of him every day.

"Every time I go out in the cockpit and look over I remember the scene, seeing my son floating in the water unconscious and probably dead by that time, being dragged by a woman who recovered him."

The Jarman family had been on a round-the-world sailing trip since January 2019. Photo / Supplied
The Jarman family had been on a round-the-world sailing trip since January 2019. Photo / Supplied

The Ministry of Health's (MOH) refusal letter to the family's border entry application said director general of health Ashley Bloomfield took into consideration the fact they had already managed to repatriate Eddie's body to the UK.

The family flew back to Sussex to bury Eddie in August, but had to return to their yacht, September AM, with their daughter to navigate cyclone season and try to sell it.

The MOH extended their condolences to the family for their loss and said "due consideration was given to their circumstances".

The 17-metre yacht September AM which the Jarmans are now trying to sell. Photo / Supplied
The 17-metre yacht September AM which the Jarmans are now trying to sell. Photo / Supplied

"The application did not meet the high threshold of a humanitarian exemption," the MOH told the Herald.

"For clarity, humanitarian reasons or other compelling needs would be unlikely to include situations relating solely to financial loss, or to vessels travelling primarily for pleasure or convenience."

However, Genda said it is almost impossible to sell their yacht in French Polynesia.

Auckland yacht brokers 36 degrees had urged the family to make the "utmost effort" to bring September AM to New Zealand because there were prospective buyers here - but none that could fly to Tahiti to view their yacht.

The family also obtained a letter of support from the British High Commission assuring the MOH that Genda and her daughter could return to the UK within days of arriving in New Zealand.

The Jarman family are now trying to sell their $1 million yacht - the only home they have - in order to return home to the UK, buy a house and try to start their life again. Photo / Supplied
The Jarman family are now trying to sell their $1 million yacht - the only home they have - in order to return home to the UK, buy a house and try to start their life again. Photo / Supplied

What is particularly disappointing to Genda is the number of superyachts that have been given exemptions into New Zealand since the maritime border was closed on June 30.

The MOH revealed to the Herald that 13 vessels had been granted exemption to dock here - eight of those under a refit and repair criteria.

Those foreign vessels and crew can be exempted into New Zealand provided they spend a minimum of $50,000 getting refit and repair work at a NZ marine outfitter.

In reality, the money being spent is far greater.

The death of Eddie Jarman, 14, is now the subject of a manslaughter investigation in French Polynesia. Photo / Supplied
The death of Eddie Jarman, 14, is now the subject of a manslaughter investigation in French Polynesia. Photo / Supplied

One 55m superyacht is undergoing a $7m refit at Auckland Orams Marine Services boatyard.

The 81m AIR superyacht from Malta entered Auckland on October 7, and the 55m Senses superyacht from the US will arrive on October 15

"That is what hurts me. It is an economic transaction," Genda said.

"I believe there are 20 [superyachts] that applied, and they're just staggering the application so they don't turn up all at the same time. You'd change the light bulbs for $50,000 on superyachts. So why are they all going there [NZ]. I tell you why - because of the America's Cup."

Eddie Jarman with his father Harry on board their yacht September AM. Eddie was killed by a speedboat on August 9. Photo / Supplied
Eddie Jarman with his father Harry on board their yacht September AM. Eddie was killed by a speedboat on August 9. Photo / Supplied

The MOH said only three exemptions for foreign vessels and crew into the New Zealand maritime border had been for humanitarian reasons, and all because "they had New Zealand citizens on board".

Genda said the family would soon have to sail their yacht from Tahiti for over a week to the French Polynesian island of Marquesas to be safe during the summer cyclone season.

"We hope that we spend the cyclone season [in Marquesas] and hopefully next year New Zealand will open up and then we can eventually sail the boat there for a sale.

"But that is gutting. It is terribly, horribly stressful.

Eddie Jarman, 14, and his sister Amelie, 13, on board the family yacht, September AM. Photo / Supplied
Eddie Jarman, 14, and his sister Amelie, 13, on board the family yacht, September AM. Photo / Supplied

"We're not doing this because we want to get to New Zealand and live in a country Covid-free. No, we need to put our daughter back into school [in the UK] so she can be in a normal environment with her friends.

"We rely on the capital of the sale of the boat to be able to go back.

"We know that's best for her, rather than being on the boat and being lonely and reminded every day of Eddie, and her lack of a brother."

The family have launched a campaign to raise £100,000 to set up a charity for young musicians in memory of Eddie, who was a talented violinist.