Call for fatal accident inquiry into fish farm worker’s death

The partner of Clive Hendry, who died while working at Mowi Scotland’s Ardintoul fish farm on Loch Alsh, is calling for a fatal accident inquiry so “no other families have to go through this living hell”, writes Sandy Neil

On February 18, 2020, Mr Hendry, pictured, 58, from Dornie, drowned after he was crushed while transferring from a workboat to a barge known as a Sea Cap.

A technician on board the Sea Cap saw Mr Hendry struggling and distressed, and having difficulty holding onto the Sea Cap’s ladder.

He attempted to stop him from falling by holding onto his lifejacket and clothing, but the severely injured man slipped out of them into the water.

An inquiry by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), published in 2021, said Mr Hendry had worked in the fish farming industry for more than 20 years, and was a hard-working member of his team, respected for his experience. It concluded: “The conduct of the boat transfer had not been properly planned or briefed and was not adequately supervised or controlled.” An investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) concluded Mowi Scotland Ltd, owner of workboat Beinn Na Caillich, failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure this boat was operated in a safe manner.

Mowi Scotland Ltd was charged with serious breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which led to Mr Hendry’s death.

The company pleaded guilty at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday May 9, and was fined £800,000, reduced from £1.2 million. It was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60,000.

After sentencing, Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “Since this incident the company has introduced new risk assessments and has put into practice work.

“Had these been in place at the time then Mr Hendry’s transfer from the Beinn na Cailleach to the Sea Cap would have taken place without incident and he would be alive today.”

MCA lead investigator Staff said: “We also hope have been learned.”

Catriona Lockhart, Mr Hendry’s partner of 28 years, said: “There are no winners here, only losers. Three years on and I still can’t believe the largest salmon producers in the world had so many health and safety failures. Clive should have been kept safe at work.

“My next fight is to get a fatal accident inquiry into all the circumstances as to why my Clive never came home alive, so that Mowi Scotland, and the aquaculture industry more widely, learn from these shocking health and safety failures and that Mowi Scotland’s workforce are kept safe and all come back home alive.”

“I truly believe it will happen again,” she told the BBC. “I do not think Mowi Scotland have changed at all.”

Ms Lockhart is also Mowi for its failings. safe systems of

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