Died after getting into difficulty kayaking
A 62-year-old man who died after a kayaking accident at Aughris Pier died as a result of a lack of oxygen to the heart, with salt water drowning the secondary cause of death.
Paddy McCarrick, of Garavogue Villas, was out kayaking in June 2017 when he got into difficulty and fell out of his kayak.
The inquest into his death heard that Mr. McCarrick’s lungs were inflated at the time of death, and he suffered acute myocardial ischemia, which means an insufficient amount of oxygen was reaching the heart muscle as a result of a thickened left ventricle.
Dr. Clive Kilgannon, Pathologist, said ‘salt water drowning’ was the secondary cause of death, although there was no salt-water found in the lungs.
This is not uncommon, Dr. Kilgannon said.
“He must have felt some discomfort that distracted him while kayaking,” Dr. Kilgannon added.
A number of colleagues who were at Aughris Head with Mr. McCarrick on the day of his passing told the inquest that conditions around the coast appeared to be good on the day in question.
There were a number of things that could have caused him to fall out of his kayak and into the water on the day, they said.
He may have lost concentration or lost balance, according to one colleague of Mr. McCarrick.
“I noticed him take a wobble and asked if he wanted to go back. At first he said no. Maybe because of a sea swell he fell out of his kayak.
“There was no sign of distress,” one colleague said.
A number of colleagues tried to help Mr. McCarrick as he was almost submerged in the water.
“I saw Paddy let go of the kayak with his left hand, like he fell asleep. I don’t feel Paddy suffered any distress,” a colleague said.
Coroner Eamonn McGowan delivered a verdict of accidental death, and said: “He died from a lack of blood to the heart and salt water drowning. I extend my sympathies to the family and friends. Paddy was out in the fresh air doing what he wanted to do, it’s a shame he didn’t get a few more years.
“To all the people who tried to help him, all turned to go home together, they did their very best for him.”