Cause of fatal accident remains unclear
IT MAY never be known what led Shetland fisherman Neil Smith to leave the wheelhouse of his 10 metre boat Breadwinner when shooting 70 creels five miles east of Bressay on the morning of 20 January last year.
While working on his own, the 54 year old fisherman got his right leg trapped in the leader rope, and was dragged overboard and drowned.
A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of the well respected Cunningsburgh man tried to shed further light on why Mr Smith had ignored his own strict safety regime.
The inquiry atLerwick Sheriff Courtheard that Mr Smith had just three seconds between realising what was happening to him and being dragged overboard. He had no knife readily available to cut himself free.
In his submission to sheriff Philip Mann, procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said on Monday that “we can’t be certain as to why Mr Smith left the wheelhouse, was it to investigate a failure in the gear, or was he overcome by illness”.
The inquiry had heard earlier in the day that Mr Smith’s system of work on board his creel boat was exemplary.
Marine investigator William West, a former fisherman, said he had difficulty to come to the conclusion that there had been a defect in the system.
“Had he remained in the wheelhouse, we would not be here today,” he said.
Forensic pathologist Dr James Grieve, who had carried out the post mortem on Mr Smith, said he could not rule out the possibility that Mr Smith had been overcome by illness, but he could not know for certain.
Pathologists found Mr Smith to have an enlarged heart, a condition that indicates high blood pressure. Referring to the possible cause of the accident, Mr Grieve added: “There is no way for us to know.”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch had last autumn published a detailed report on the accident, and made a number of safety recommendations for fisherman working single-handedly.
Addressing the family present at Monday’s inquiry sheriff Philip Mann said he would try to have his written determination ready within one week.
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