German man dies in Corrib Tunnel dig

German man dies in Corrib Tunnel dig


Ciara Galvin

A German national who was fatally injured while working in the Corrib Tunnel at Aughoose on Sunday last, has been named as 26-year-old Lars Wagner from Offenburg in southern Germany.
The mechanical fitter sustained the fatal head injury early Sunday morning when a compressed air pipe reportedly came free.
Mr Wagner was pronounced dead when his body was brought to the surface after 9am.
The single man was attached to the maintenance support crew for Herrnknecht, the German sub-contractor which built the tunnel boring machine hired for the final section of the Corrib gas onshore pipeline.
A statement from Shell E&P Ireland Limited (SEPIL) stated that the company, on behalf of the Corrib Partners; Statoil Exploration (Ireland) Limited and Vermilion Energy Ireland Limited, ‘wishes to express its sincere condolences to the family and co-workers of the German employee of Herrenknecht AG who was fatally injured while working in the Corrib tunnel in Co. Mayo today [Sunday].
The statement stated ‘SEPIL is co-operating fully with the Garda and Health and Safety Authority investigations, which are currently under way on site’.  
Construction work on the tunnel has been suspended according to the statement and SEPIL have said ‘will provide support to staff and contractors, who are so deeply shocked and saddened by today’s [Sunday] tragic incident’.
Speaking to The Mayo News Cllr Rose Conway-Walsh said people were shocked.
“It’s a tragic situation. People were shocked Sunday morning on finding out a young man had lost his life.”
Cllr Conway-Walsh extended her sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Mr Wagner and said that a full enquiry was needed.
The Health and Safety Authority sent two inspectors to north Mayo and gardaí are also undertaking an investigation.
As a mark of respect to Mr Wagner, all activities associated with Erris Enterprise week have been postponed. The second Erris Enterprise week was scheduled to take place yesterday (Monday), through to Saturday, September 13.
Mayo County Council will write to the family of the deceased worker, expressing their sympathy. Such a decision was taken at yesterday’s (Monday) monthly meeting of the authority. It was proposed by Cllr Gerry Ginty and seconded by Cllr Gerry Coyle.