Drowned fisherman ‘could have survived if he had been wearing life jacket’

A FISHERMAN who drowned after being tangled in a rope and dragged overboard could have survived if he had worn a life jacket, a sheriff has ruled.

Tony Masson, 67, fell from his vessel Sea Mist near his home port of Macduff in Aberdeenshire as he was fishing for crabs.

A major search operation was launched after his son Duncan saw the boat circling in the water in March 2019 and raised the alarm. Mr Masson, who had completed mandatory fishing vessel safety training in 2015, was pulled from the Moray Firth by a lifeboat crew and rushed to hospital, but did not survive.

An investigation later revealed he had become entangled in a rope and was dragged overboard.

A fatal accident inquiry at Banff Sheriff Court has now ruled Mr Masson could have lived had he been wearing a life jacket while working onboard the vessel.

A life jacket was found in the wheelhouse of the boat.

Sheriff Robert Mcdonald said: “Had Mr Masson been wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) or similar at the time he entered water, this may have kept his head above water and may have increased his chance of survival.”

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had earlier concluded he drowned because he was dragged underwater by the weight of the creels and was unable to free himself.

Sheriff Mcdonald also recommended the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) should review methods of how they make fishermen aware of safety guidance and legislation.

In December 2018, the MCA changed its safety regulations to state that unless measures are in place to eliminate the risk of fishermen falling overboard, all fishermen must be issued with and wear a life jacket or safety harness.

The sheriff also said that if there had been a system of separating Mr Masson from the ship’s fishing gear the likelihood of the accident would have been reduced.