Fairytale of New York singer's tragic death as she was killed trying to save her son

Kirsty MacColl was just 41-years-old when she was killed in a tragic accident, but she still tops the Christmas charts decades later

Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues created one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time(Image: Redferns)

Kirsty MacColl tragically lost her life while attempting to save her son. The singer of 'Fairytale of New York' was only 41 when she went on holiday with her two sons, Louis and Jamie, and her musician boyfriend James Knight, in Cozumel, Mexico, just before Christmas 2000, 13 years after the release of the touching song with Shane MacGowan.

On December 19, Kirsty, a keen diver, and her family went for a dive at the Chankanaab reef, a designated diving area where watercraft were not allowed, accompanied by an experienced divemaster Iván Díaz. As they surfaced from a dive, Kirsty saw a powerboat speeding into the restricted area, heading straight for then 15-year-old Jamie.

Kirsty managed to push Jamie out of the way, and he only suffered minor injuries to his ribs and head. Tragically, the boat hit and ran over brave Kirsty, causing severe chest injuries that led to her immediate death.

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The powerboat was owned by wealthy businessman Guillermo Gonzalez Nova, who was on board at the time of the dreadful accident. A crew member named Jose Cen Yam ended up being blamed for the incident, reports the Mirror.

Kirsty MacColl's will had some surprise beneficiaries

Just three years before her untimely death on March 27, 1997, Kirsty MacColl penned her will, outlining how she wanted her £1,678,316 fortune to be distributed among her loved ones. According to documents obtained by the Mirror, Kirsty initially planned to leave £20,000 to a man named Lazaro Laza Antunez in Cuba.

She also stated that her brother, Hamish MacColl, would inherit £50,000 of her wealth. Furthermore, Kirsty declared that if any of her children survived her, individuals known as Anne, Kieran, Juliett Guiot and Frances Tiplady would each receive £1,000.

However, if none of her children survived her, these individuals' legacies would increase to £10,000 each. The Croydon-born singer also stipulated that what remained of her estate after settling her debts, funeral costs, and any legacies given by the will should go to her trustees.

These included her children Jamie Patrick MacColl, Lillywhite and Louis Stephen MacColl, any future children, her mother Jean, her brother Hamish, and any charitable causes her Trustees deemed suitable at their discretion.

Kirsty made dramatic changes to her will in the months leading to her death(Image: Redferns)

Kirsty MacColl dramatically changed her will just months before her untimely passing in August 2000, axing plans to send cash to Cuba. Instead, she decided that her Stroud property would go to her brother, and her estate—inclusive of royalties from her music—would be split between her kids and James Knight, once provisions were made for her mum and brother.

Kirsty didn't forget her pals though, leaving £1,000 each to mates Annie, Fuz, Kieran and Guiot in France, and gifted all her studio tech to James Knight. The handling of Kirsty's tragic boating incident by Mexican authorities left her mum Jean MacColl seething with rage.

Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror in 2014, she blasted the paltry £67 fine imposed on the boat hand, saying: "It was £67, a trivial amount. I had to tell her sons on Mother's Day that that's all their mother's life was valued at.

Kirsty MacColl has charted repeatedly in the years after her death(Image: Redferns)

"I was angry, I'm still angry. All I wanted was the truth. I didn't want his money, it's dirty. I just wanted him to tell me the truth but he didn't have the nerve or the courage. I even wrote him a letter saying I just wanted the truth but he never replied. I despise him completely. I don't know how he can live with himself."

Before his own departure, Shane had touched on Kirsty's lasting impact, saying: "I'm very grateful to Christ and his Holy Mother and Joseph and all the saints, including my family who have passed on, for the success of Fairytale. And I was very grateful to Kirsty MacColl – I don't think it would have been such a big hit without her contribution."