Surf school owner fined €1,000 over tourist death

The owner of Offshore Surf School, which operates schools and rents surf equipment on a number of Kerry beaches, has been fined €1,000 for breaching health and safety legislation connected with the death of an American tourist on Inch Strand two years ago.

Mother of two grown-up children Jena Hill, 58, from Springfield Kentucky, had stepped off a tour coach from Killarney on the morning of July 2, 2011. She was accompanied by her husband. While he had gone to the restaurant, she had gone for a walk on the beach, a previous court had been told.

Mrs Hill was on the sand, standing staring out at the sea when a 40ft long truck struck and reversed over her, killing her. The truck was owned by the Offshore Surf School. She died “a horrible death” at the scene the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee heard.