New details have emerged about the tragic final moments of British music icon Kirsty MacColl, as the man at the helm of the speedboat that killed her has spoken publicly for the first time in 25 years.
The Tragic Holiday Incident
Kirsty MacColl, the celebrated singer best known for the Christmas classic 'Fairytale of New York', died in a holiday tragedy in December 2000. The accident occurred while she was swimming with her family in a coastal area of Mexico. A 31-foot speedboat struck her, cutting her life short at the age of 41.
Jose Cen Yam, who was working as a deckhand on the vessel that day, has now given a detailed account of the incident to the Mail On Sunday. He was found guilty of culpable homicide for his role in the fatal speedboat accident.
The Driver's Account of the Fatal Moment
In his interview, Cen Yam described the moments leading up to the collision. "I was going at about five miles an hour," he stated. "I didn't see anyone in the water, no one. But then I heard a propeller make a very strange noise."
He recalled the sound as a peculiar whirring, indicating something had hit the propeller. "There was no bang in the boat, just the noise of a propeller doing this weird stuff. I thought, 'I've gone over something'. So I slowed and went to the back of the boat and I saw her there," he said.
Cen Yam described MacColl's body floating in the water, confirming that he did not pull her out. "We just had to let her be there until help came," he added. He has consistently maintained that the incident was a tragic accident, stating, "I don't feel shame over this. It was an accident. I don't feel it was my fault."
Allegations of a Cover-Up and Ongoing Questions
The deckhand also addressed long-standing rumours that he was paid to take sole blame for the crash, which allegedly involved the son of a wealthy Mexican businessman. "No, it was me. That's the truth," he insisted. "The family [of the boat owner] never put pressure on me to admit to anything I didn't do. I have always told the truth about this."
However, MacColl's former husband, record producer Steve Lillywhite, has repeatedly suggested a cover-up obscured the full truth. Speaking to The Sun, he cast doubt on the official narrative. "They said that it was a young kid driving, but no one believes that," Lillywhite said.
He implied that financial power may have influenced the investigation's outcome. "I think they just didn't want to have an enormous lawsuit because he was one of the richest guys in Mexico," Lillywhite added, reflecting the family's enduring quest for accountability over two decades after the beloved singer's death.
