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Corfu police ‘examine millionaire’s speedboat’ as they probe fellow British woman’s death

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Hedge fund manager Rob Lucas (pictured), 58, his son, 18, and daughter, 22, were questioned as possible witnesses by officers after Claire Glatman died on Monday

Hedge fund manager Rob Lucas (pictured), 58, his son, 18, and daughter, 22, were questioned as possible witnesses by officers after Claire Glatman died on Monday

Police have ‘examined a millionaire’s speedboat’ as they probe the death of a British woman who was hit by a propeller while swimming off the coast of Corfu.

Hedge fund manager Rob Lucas, 58, his son, 18, and daughter, 22, were questioned as possible witnesses by officers after Claire Glatman died on Monday.

Mrs Glatman, 60, the wife of multimillionaire property tycoon Mark, was killed when she was hit by a vessel while in the sea off Avlaki beach.

Her body was pulled from the water shortly before 10am, taken to Corfu General Hospital and identified by her family’s lawyer yesterday.

The speedboat thought to have been involved – not Mr Lucas’s – was found abandoned at a nearby beach and moved to a local marina for forensic investigation.

Mr Lucas and his children, who reportedly own a house on Corfu, had their rib-style boat inspected by police.

Another vessel, which is believed to belong to a local who had claimed they tried to rescue Mrs Glatman, was also examined.

But officers say they still need to look at other boats that were in the area when the tragedy happened and speak to their owners.

Mrs Glatman, 60, the wife of multimillionaire property tycoon Mark (pictured together), was killed when she was hit by the vessel while in the sea off Avlaki beach

Mrs Glatman, 60, the wife of multimillionaire property tycoon Mark (pictured together), was killed when she was hit by the vessel while in the sea off Avlaki beach

The speedboat thought to have been involved in the incident (pictured) was found abandoned at a nearby beach and was moved to a local marina for forensic investigation

The speedboat thought to have been involved in the incident (pictured) was found abandoned at a nearby beach and was moved to a local marina for forensic investigation

Sources claimed to the Sun the Lucas family had been with their vessel in another part of Corfu at the time and are not involved.

The trio, who have a £5million house in Hertfordshire, were also said not to be part of police inquiries and had helped officers as potential witnesses.

Mrs Glatman, from Bedale, North Yorkshire, was on holiday with her husband, 63, and the eldest of her two daughters. She also has two sons.

Coroner Ioannis Aivatidis said Mrs Glatman had injuries to her left wrist, arm, chest, pelvis and upper right leg, leading to internal and external haemorrhaging.

Aivatidis added Mrs Glatman was hit hard by the speedboat and died after just a few moments.

He said the wounds were so severe no attempt to resuscitate her would have worked had someone managed to get her out of the water.

A locator map shows where Mrs Glatman sustained her fatal injuries at Avlaki Beach and where the speedboat suspected to have hit into her was later found  at Agios Stefanos Beach

A locator map shows where Mrs Glatman sustained her fatal injuries at Avlaki Beach and where the speedboat suspected to have hit into her was later found  at Agios Stefanos Beach

Pictured is a file photograph of Avlaki Beach, which was where Mrs Glatman tragically died on Monday

Pictured is a file photograph of Avlaki Beach, which was where Mrs Glatman tragically died on Monday

She was described as a resident of Corfu for most of the year who was ‘very popular in the local community’, according to public broadcaster ERT. 

Mrs Glatman is said to have fallen in love with Mr Glatman on the island 30 years ago and the couple purchased a villa more recently, the Telegraph reported.

A friend who chose to remain anonymous told the newspaper Mrs Glatman was an experienced swimmer.

Mrs Glatman swam at the spot every day while on the island, Corfu Press reported, citing friends of the family.

Villagers in Mrs Glatman’s home village of Well, where they lived in the historic Well Hall, were shocked at the death of the ‘beautiful soul’.

A neighbour said: ‘It is dreadful news. She loved Corfu and they spent a lot of time there, but she was also a popular person around Well.’

They added: ‘I knew her as a beautiful soul, friendly and very young at heart.’

Another villager said: ‘We have had a scarecrow festival this weekend gone and the whole village came together and we had a fantastic time, but this has really brought us back down to earth. 

Port authorities discovered an abandoned speedboat at the nearby beach. Pictured: A Greek coastguard vessel

Port authorities discovered an abandoned speedboat at the nearby beach. Pictured: A Greek coastguard vessel

‘What a horrible thing to happen. My thoughts are with Mark and the rest of the family.’

The couple’s house was an extensive walled property, has a swimming pool and tennis courts.

They also owned a £3million townhouse in London’s Knightsbridge as well as the villa in Corfu.

A coastguard spokesman said: ‘We received an emergency call by local swimmers who found the woman’s body floating in the sea.

‘The coastguard recovered the body and transferred it to the local state hospital where an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of her death.’

A Foreign Office spokesman added: ‘We are in contact with the local authorities following reports that a British woman has died in Corfu.’

Mrs Glatman, née Glover, was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and her husband was a solicitor who became an influential commercial property developer.

He set up the Abstract group of companies in 2000, focusing on property development and investment and venture capital projects.

The net worth of his businesses is more than £83million.

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