Irishman’s harbour death remains a mystery
An intoxicated man’s drowning in Wellington Harbour was not the result of a fight or being pushed but could have been triggered by a heart problem, a coronial inquest has found.
Finbarr Clabby - who could not swim and disliked the water - had lived in the capital for about eight years after moving from Ireland, and had been drinking with mates near Westpac Stadium after attending the 2015 Super Rugby final.
In his finding, Coroner Tim Scott said Clabby, originally from Galway, was probably not pushed or attacked before his death, but likely stumbled or tripped - or possibly collapsed as the result of a heart problem.
Clabby, 39, was found fully clothed, face down by a visiting Whakatane family under a footbridge in the Queens Wharf area of the Wellington waterfront at 10.45am on July 5.
His friends said he could not swim and did not like the water.
About 1am, while drinking at the Juniper bar, bar staff stopped serving him alcohol.
Scott found that Clabby was significantly affected by alcohol, but it is not known what he did after
"There are only three possible ways in which Finbarr could have ended up in the harbour." Coroner Tim Scott
leaving Juniper at 1.30am, although a friend said he sometimes walked over to Chicago bar on the waterfront to see if it was open.
‘‘There are only three possible ways in which Finbarr could have ended up in the harbour.
‘‘He could have voluntarily jumped in. He could have stumbled and tripped and fallen in. He could have been pushed in,’’ Scott said.
Initially, police thought he may have been pushed, but this was later ruled out following a full investigation. Scott agreed with police that Clabby probably stumbled or tripped.
Officers spent hours scouring CCTV footage in hopes of retracing Clabby’s final steps in the early hours of that Sunday morning.
They spotted him in footage from around the CBD, but did not find any film showing how or why he ended up in the water.
The autopsy found Clabby had drowned, but there was also evidence of coronary artery atherosclerosis - a hardening of the arteries - that may have triggered a medical event leading to him tripping or stumbling.
There were no defensive injuries to indicate that he may have been attacked, Scott found.
Scott asked Wellington City Council to do a review of lighting in the area.
Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the lighting was good in the area and white strips had been placed on the ground.