(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles police has reported that a Seychellois man has died following a boat accident which occured yesterday afternoon at Beau Vallon, northern district of the main island of Mahé.

According to a police statement issued this afternoon, 47 year old Patrick Gemmel from the central Mahé district of Mont Fleuri, died at 22:00 hours local time last night, at the Seychelles Hospital.

Gemmel had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit since late yesterday afternoon following the accident which was reported to the police at around 5.13pm.

According to the statement he had suffered several wounds and serious injuries to the head and his condition was described then as critical. 

“According to reports Gemmel was one of four people onboard a speedboat which collided with another boat that was moored off the Beau Vallon bay opposite the Boat House Restaurant,” the statement reads.

“There was nobody in the boat that was moored at the time of the accident.”

The police is conducting an investigation into this tragic accident.

The Beau Vallon beach area where the accident occurred is the site of the annual Regatta event that took place over the weekend.

Despite heavy rains at times, many people Seychellois and tourists alike had flocked to the Beau Vallon beach yesterday on the last day of activities which started on Friday.

Regatta is organized by Round Table Seychelles, a charitable organization that has been behind the event for over 30 years.

Activities organized include aquatic sports, fun fair and the highlight of the event is the Regatta lottery draw.

This year money raised is expected to go towards the Seychelles Ministry of Health’s Cancer programme as well as to finance the renovation of the delivery suites at the Seychelles’ Hospital Maternity Ward.

The fatal boat accident at Beau Vallon yesterday comes 8 days after a 54 year old man was admitted to the Seychelles hospital with a broken leg after being hit by a boat while he was swimming on Praslin, Seychelles' second most populated island.

In an interview with SNA on Friday, the Director General of the Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA) Captain Joachim Valmont said several measures were being taken to render the Seychelles' beaches safer.

Recently, there have been growing concerns regarding the safety of people while on the beach or at sea.

According to Valmont, the measures being taken include the revision of some legislation as well as the setting up of a maritime police unit to assist swimmers in difficulty and issue advice on any potential hazards.