Fishery worker drowned breaking pond ice

A FISHERY worker drowned after trying to use a boat to break ice on a freezing pond during a cold snap, an inquiry has found.

Peter Coyle, 57, jumped into the pond despite not being able to swim after a hole in his rowing boat caused it to fill with water. He had been trying to clear ice from the trout fishing pond at Quarter Fishery near Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in January 2015.

Mr Coyle’s colleague Mark Sommerville tried to rescue him by towing the boat out of the water using a rope, but it snapped. After Mr Coyle jumped into the water, Mr Sommerville threw a life ring into the pond but it did not reach him.

Firefighters pulled the body of the former professional singer, of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, from the water an hour later but he could not be saved.

Following a fatal accident inquiry into the incident held at Hamilton Sheriff Court, Sheriff Shiona Waldron has found that Mr Coyle did not follow proper safety measures.

She ruled his death could have been avoided if he had not taken the damaged fibre glass boat out alone on to the pond while not wearing a lifejacket.

Describing the incident in a written judgment, she said: “Part of the rope attached to the boat was still on shore. Mr Sommerville attached the end of the rope to the chassis of his car and tried to bring the boat into shore.

“The rope broke. Mr Coyle stood up in the boat and Mr Sommerville told him to sit down. Mr Coyle panicked and jumped out of the boat.”

The inquiry heard that the boat remained afloat.

The hearing continues.