Police are investigating after Juventus and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo’s 10-year-old son was filmed riding a jet ski alone.
The youngster’s aunt loaded the footage onto her social media.
Portuguese press claimed the video, said to have been taken on Saturday in Paul do Mar off the south of Madeira where Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is holidaying with relatives, was also shared by his famous footballer dad and his doting grannie Dolores Aveiro before its removal.
Maritime Police chief Guerreiro Cardoso confirmed on Monday an investigation was underway.
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He told respected Portuguese newspaper Expresso he was aware of what had happened and the incident was now being probed to ascertain exactly what had happened and “whether a fine had to be paid.”
He was also quoted as saying a skipper’s licence was needed to use a jet ski and only adults could hold one.
Under Portuguese law, individual fines for using a jet ski without the proper licence are understood to range between £268 and £2688.
Groups or private firms can be hit with fines of up to £10,750.
Police are understood to be trying to establish who the jet ski belonged to. The adult or adults responsible for Cristianinho, as Cristiano Jr is nicknamed by his family, would be asked to pay the fine if any wrongdoing is established.
The reaction from social media users after Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister posted the footage on her Instagram on Sunday was immediate.
One said: “I was left with my heart in my hand when I saw the video.”
Another said: “Very bad. What a lack of responsibility. So young and riding a jet ski. I thought there was a minimum age to be able to do so.”
The footage Elma uploaded was taken from a boat packed with adults and children. It showed Cristianinho racing through the water before spinning round in circles as he was egged on from those on the luxury vessel.
Towards the end of the 1.30 minute video a woman in a life jacket could be seen jumping into the water, although the 10-year-old pilot is thought to have switched on the engine before she approached it. The youngster appeared to have a good command of the waverunner.
Although the footage was no longer on Elma’s Instagram site on Monday she kept up photos thought to have been taken on the same trip showing Cristianinho on the boat with her and her mum Dolores.
One, showing her kissing the tanned youngster as she sat beside him with what appeared to be a glass of bubbly in her right hand, said: “Love of my life. How I love you little one.”
Another video showed Cristianinho sat looking out to see beside other adults and children in swimwear including his aunt as they approached the coastline on the motorboat. One of the adults spoke Spanish to a young girl pictured in the video and called her the “little one from Madrid.”
Social media users also criticised a third video posted by Elma showing Cristianinho and three other children he was on a smaller speedboat with because they were not wearing life jackets. One said: “Children without life jackets. I was shocked to see the lack of responsibility of the adults.”
mirror.co.uk
