A mother who watched in horror as a jet boat went out of control before smashing into rocks claimed last night that the accident could have been avoided.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said she feared someone would be killed when the 12-foot vessel spun out of control, throwing its two passengers overboard, before hurtling through the bay where children were swimming.

She said onlookers who raced across to the boat after it hit one of the King's Point Islands in Somerset found the cut off key still attached to the ignition.

"If the driver of the boat had been wearing the cut off key, like they were supposed to, this boat would have stopped instantly after the two people on board were thrown out,'' she said.

"The cut off key is there to be worn around the wrist to make sure accidents like this don't happen.

"If somebody had been left on that boat, or if it had hit someone, they would have been killed. The owners are lucky not to be prosecuted because of that.'' Yesterday The Royal Gazette reported how owner of the boat, Scott Lines, who is managing director of Lines Overseas Management, and his female friend, model Lori Eddy, were shocked but not hurt after being jerked overboard around 5 p.m. last Thursday.

Mr. Lines, who only bought the $26,000 motor boat a month ago, said that when he came to the surface his first thought was for the safety of bathers.

He claimed the boat was not going very fast and said the accident had happened because the steering wheel had jammed as the boat turned.

He said yesterday: "There is no wrist band on the cut off key on the boat. It cannot be worn.'' However, the mother at the scene said she was disappointed Mr. Lines did not apologise to the shaken swimmers or check to ensure everybody was safe.

And she was joined by other witnesses to the accident who said the boat appeared to be travelling at speeds of up to 45mph through the shallow bay.

She added: "This empty boat came at speed in a straight line through dozens of swimmers and dozens of boats in Mangrove Bay.

"I know about boats and it certainly wasn't going slow, it was going full throttle, and had it hit someone or another boat, we would have had deaths.

"But the owner never came across to anybody to see if they were okay or to apologise.

"They went and collected their boat from the rocks straight away and then left.

"We were all horrified and he has a nerve to downplay the situation.'' Yesterday, Mr. Lines, who is now in England with his wife and two children, denied the jet boat was going full throttle and said it was not capable of travelling at 45mph, as the woman had claimed.

He said his major concern had been the safety of bathers and he accused The Royal Gazette and onlookers of sensationalising the incident.

"I have nothing else to say on the matter,'' he added.

"I don't like your line of questioning. I won't answer any more questions.'' Neither Marine Police or Harbour Radio have been informed about the crash.