A fisherman who died after falling from a trawler off the Shetland coast was not wearing his lifejacket correctly, investigators have concluded.
Frantic crew members on the Copious tried unsuccessfully to recover deckhand Edison Lacaste, from the Philippines, when fell overboard at about 3am on February 18, 2021.
However, the 45-year-old was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital after eventually being recovered from the sea by a coastguard helicopter.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has now concluded an investigation into the incident, making recommendations to the coastguard for new regulations to be introduced to help recover crew who fall overboard into the water.
What happened on the Copious?
The Copious had left Lerwick two days earlier after landing their previous catch and replenishing their stocks of ice.
The vessel was approaching the end of its trawl about 34 miles south-east of Shetland when the crew was attempting to winch up the slack on the middle towing wire.
Mr Lacaste stepped onto the stern bulwark and asked for a crew member to hold the back of his lifejacket while he made repairs to the trawl gear.
However, as the crew member and skipper both turned around from completing their own tasks, they saw him lose balance and fall overboard.
A rope and a ladder were thrown into the water in an attempt to retrieve him but he was swept away by the sea.
Approximate location of incident
Another fishing vessel, Reliance III, responded to a mayday call for help and Mr Lacaste, who had worked on the Copious for five years, was recovered about an hour after falling into the sea.
He was flown to Lerwick and transferred to Gilbert Bain Hospital where he was declared dead despite the best efforts of staff.
Post-accident examinations established his lifejacket was set to 52 inches with no evidence of adjustment. His own waist was measured at 32 inches.
The MAIB says, as a result, the lifejacket did not hold his airways clear while he was in the water and he drowned.
Changes from Copious owners since accident
Since the incident, the owners of the Copious have replaced it with a new and larger vessel with upgraded safety features.
New man overboard equipment has been purchased to provide a way of recovering an unconscious person from the water and crew have been provided higher buoyancy lifeboats as well as immersion suits.
The MAIB has made no recommendations to the owners of the Copious following the death of the deckhand due to the actions they have taken.
However, a recommendation has been made to the coastguard to amend regulations to require fishing vessels to ensure they have an efficient way of recovering an unconscious person from the water and be able to demonstrate it during an inspection.
