Mayo boating tragedy may have been avoided by wearing of lifejackets

AN investigation into the death of a German national in a boating accident off Lacken Pier found that he would likely have survived if he had been wearing a lifejacket.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board carried out an investigation into the death of a German man aged in his 70s who died after entering the water at Lacken Pier on July 16, 2023. The casualty had not been wearing a lifejacket and the investigation highlighted the importance of water safety awareness and the importance of wearing lifejackets with on or near the water.

The casualty had planned a day of fishing with a friend in Killala Bay on the morning of July 16 and entered the water without a lifejacket after attempting to retrieve a five-metre long recreational boat which was drifting from the pier. He got into difficulty as he waded towards the boat and was swept out to sea.

His friend who was also in his 70s was visiting him from Germany. He was in the boat when the casualty got into difficulty. He was unfamiliar with the operation of the boat and as a result he was unable to stop it from drifting and was unable to assist his friend.

Neither of the men were wearing lifejackets which were on the boat and the investigation found that had they been wearing lifejackets their chances of survival would have increased.

“Had the casualty been wearing a PFD/lifejacket his chances of survival would have been greatly improved. Had the survivor been wearing a PFD/lifejacket, a) the casualty may have assessed the risk to his companion differently and may not have felt the need to enter the water, and b) the survivor might have exited the boat before it was out of his control and/or before it got too far from the pier while still in water he could wade in,” the report read.

The investigation found that the casualty was the boat owner and lived locally to the incident location. He was an experienced boat person who had frequently taken similar voyages in and around the area over many years living there, and it is understood that sea angling was his hobby. It is understood that he was able to swim.

There were no records available to the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) indicating whether either the casualty or the survivor had formal boat handling training or sea survival training.

The investigation found that the two men had brought the boat to the pier using a tractor and launched the boat with the survivor on board. When the casualty parked the tractor, the boat started to drift from the pier and attempts were made by the survivor to throw a line from the boat to the casualty ashore at the East Pier steps.

These attempts were unsuccessful and the boat continued to drift further away from the pier. As the casualty sought to embark on the boat, he ended up in the water at the East Pier steps and then got into difficulty.

A member of the public who witnessed the boat drifting and the occupant in distress raised the alarm at 10.35am and contacted the emergency services. The initial report only mentioned a person in distress on the boat and made no mention of anyone in the water until about ten minutes later.

At 11.08am, the Coast Guard rescue helicopter R118 arrived on scene and commenced searching for the casualty off Lacken Pier.He was recovered at approximately 11.18am and transferred by helicopter to Sligo University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The boat drifted towards the beach where the survivor was picked up and brought to hospital for treatment.

The investigation found that the boat was in good condition and was equipped with lifejackets but neither of the men were wearing them at the time.

It found that five factors combined to cause this incident. These were failure to appropriately plan for the fishing trip, including equipment; failure to wear lifejackets; the lack of familiarity with the boat, its controls and operation, and general knowledge and experience; evaluation of the hazards and requirements for mitigation; and cold water immersion.

It added that the presence of signage requiring wearing of lifejackets by persons on the pier may have prompted the casualty and survivor to don the lifejackets that were available to them.

As part of the findings from the investigation, it is recommended that Mayo County Council consider conducting a review of the safety signage posted at Lacken Pier and in particular the erection of signage or any other communications considered to be useful, advising the wearing of lifejackets at Lacken Pier and slipway.

A number of recommendations were also made to the Department of Transport including maintaining an ongoing communication strategy aimed at recreational craft operators emphasising the importance for individuals to wear lifejackets in situations where a potential risk of falling into the water exists. The Department was also recommended to review the effectiveness of the lifejacket enforcement regime and consider ways in which inspections for the mandatory wearing of lifejackets can be increased as well as consider the introduction of basic safety training for operators of marine leisure vessels.

“Such basic training could cover the safety features set out in Marine Notice No.52 of 2023, including the use of lifejackets, sea survival techniques, voyage planning, use of engines and actions to take in emergency situations,” the report read.