The importance of wearing secure footwear at all times onboard fishing vessels should be highlighted by the Minister for Transport, a review into the death of a young fisherman from a fall at sea has advised.
It is among a number of recommendations made by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) following their investigation into the death at sea of 29-year-old fisherman Desmond (Des) Hurley on board the trawler Breizh Arvor II off Na Blascaodaí in Co Kerry on 14 December 2023.
The MCIB said Mr Hurley's death was "a very unfortunate common slip or fall accident that very unusually resulted in a fatality to a young fisher while he was carrying out his work".
It said the accident "appears to be the result of the casualty slipping or falling and hitting his head in or departing from the accommodation area while following instructions to go to the wheelhouse to take over the watch from the Skipper".
The investigation by the MCIB found that while there were no major features on the accommodation deck floor that could have caused the fatal fall, loose footwear may have contributed to "an initial fall or hitting his head on the door frame", as well as the movement of the trawler in force 5 weather conditions.
The trawler, the Cork-registered Breizh Arvor II, had been fishing for prawns off the west coast of Ireland on 14 December 2023 and was three days into an intended fishing trip of up to 13 days when Mr Hurley, one of the crew of six, suffered a fall in the accommodation deck.
The vessel was trawling at the time, and the catch from the previous haul was being processed by the crew on deck.
The weather was Beaufort force 5 with moderate to rough seas, and the vessel was said to be rolling moderately.
At the request of the skipper, "the crewman had left the main deck, taken off his oilskins and wellington boots, put on his crocs, and went below to the accommodation deck to change his jumper to go to the wheelhouse to take the watch".
It was later noted by An Garda Síochána that the shoes were used as a slip-on without the use of the ankle strap.
The deceased was found unresponsive, lying on the deck in the sleeping area; efforts were made to revive him, but unfortunately, these were not successful.
The vessel returned to the home fishing port of Castletownbere, Co Cork, where an ambulance and An Garda Síochána waited, and the casualty was landed ashore.
In an inquest into Mr Hurley's death last September, the coroner found that there was "strong circumstantial evidence" that the casualty lost his footing on the ladder, sustained a neck injury and suffered cardiorespiratory failure, as a result of "extremely bad luck".
He described the accident as a case "of lighting striking" leading to a "one-in-a-million death".
The MCIB also recommended that as well as highlighting the importance of wearing secure footwear at all times onboard fishing vessels, the Minister for Transport should also advise owners about the dangers of restricted headroom in vessels and to include this hazard in their risk assessment as well as having suitable warning signage in such spaces.
