The heartbroken dad of a seven-year-old British girl who was killed in a horrific speed boat crash says he wishes it was him who was killed instead.
Jonada Avdia, seven, was swimming about 15ft from shore when she was allegedly hit by an off-duty police officer in a speedboat in front of horrified onlookers in Albania.
The grieving father, who has been named locally as Bledar Avdia, witnessed the terrifying crash on Potami Beach in Himara on Tuesday afternoon.
The driver, thought to be Arjan Tase, was allegedly manoeuvring dangerously close to the shore in the borrowed RIB-style boat and lost control.
Teacher Bislim Ahmetaj revealed a heartbreaking conversation he had with the girl's distraught father after the horror on the beach, in which he said "I should've died and not Jonada".
In an emotional post on social media, the teacher added: "Albanians are mourning Jonada and her family, while for you, killer of children and dreams, there will be no grave.
"Justice for Jonada should and will be decided by Albanian citizens."
The young girl's death has led to protests throughout the country demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister and ministers.
Hundreds of candles and flowers have been placed by well-wishers where Jonada died, as well as in front of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Police confirmed that at around 2pm on Tuesday the driver lost control and hit the child, who is from Barking in London and was holidaying in southern Albania, who died instantly at the scene.
Tase was making a five-mile journey to Potam from Porto Palermo with members of his own family on board, it's understood.
Witnesses claim he dropped his family off before putting the boat back in the water where he began to pull some “dangerous manoeuvres”, the Daily Star reports.
He allegedly drove the boat into the clearly marked off area, which had buoys around it to show the space dedicated to swimmers.
Jonada is thought to have been 15ft out from the shore when she was killed, with a police spokesperson saying that the spinning propellers, which made contact with Jonada, “caused serious injuries that led to immediate loss of life".
In images widely shared on social media, the grief-stricken father can be seen on the ground clutching his head after his daughter was fatally hit.
Albanian tourism minister Mirela Kumbaro told Albanian Daily News: "An angel is no longer among us because of the stupidity of a man who broke every law, every rule and every norm with tragically irreversible consequences.
"With awareness that there are no words to serve as a consolation for the parents, the family for the tragedy they suffered, the request goes to justice to do its job, without compromise, with maximum punishment for anyone who breaks the law.
"The request goes to the state police as well, to each of its employees in the territory, to be at the level of vigilance and punishment that the uniform imposes on them."
Tase is expected to appear before the Vlora court today after he was charged with manslaughter, Albania Daily News report.
Due to the catastrophic incident, Police Chief Gledis Nano fired around 15 officers, saying he would “not tolerate any police officer, leader or enforcer, who does not rigorously and honestly implement functional duties, in the interest of protecting the lives of citizens".
The young girl was on holiday with her family in her parent's home country, but the family is said to have been living in the UK for the past two decades and Jonada was born in London.
Her tragic death is the third time a similar situation has happened in the country in the summer of 2022 alone.
On Jale beach, a couple were injured by a speedboat in July and a two-year-old was hurt two days later.
