Report on death on the mask last year

fisherking

From afloat magazine......


#MCIB - The decision to set out in poor weather, coupled with limited safety instruction, led to the tragic death of a Romanian angler on Lough Mask last summer, according to a report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB).

Mircea Ungur drowned after the angling boat he was in capsized in choppy waters brought on by squalling Force 8 winds on the afternoon of 8 May 2011.

Ungur had a tracheostomy tube in his throat resulting from a previous battle against throat cancer, and drowned after taking in water through this tube, the MCIB concluded. It was also found that most of his companions and the guide knew nothing about the tube.

At the time of the incident, Ungur had been on an angling holiday in Co Mayo with five colleagues accompanied by a fishing guide. On the morning of 8 May the group set out from Cappaduff in Tourmakeady on two boats, following a brief discussion about fishing and safe departure from the pier.

Winds were already reaching Force 4-6 when the group departed and sought a sheltered area of the lough to fish. After lunch winds had picked up to Force 8 and the guide signalled for a return to Tourmakeady.

At around 1.5km from the pier at Cappaduff, a wave swamped the leading boat that contained Ungur, a companion and the guide. All three on board, who were wearing buoyancy aids, went into the water.

Ungur was the first taken on board the other boat after some 10 minutes in the water. He was not moving or communicating with the others, and CPR was not administered until the boat reached the shore 20 minutes later. Ungur was pronouced dead just before 3pm.

The report concluded that the group had departed despite reservations among them about the poor weather, which had been correctly forecast that day. There was also little discussion with the anglers about their level of boating experience, the weather, or any disabilities that would affect their safety on the water.

The MCIB recommended that a full safety briefing should be given to all those hiring angling boats. It also urged the enforcement of safety regulations and certification for recreational water craft.

Zzippy

I remember that day, and was quite shocked that anyone was out on that side of the lake in those conditions - it was actually blowing about force 8-9 SE, which gives several miles fetch across the lake to the Tourmakeady shore, so the waves would be huge by that stage. I had a friend who fished from the SE shore the same day and they could only safely drift out a couple of hundred yards before heading back inshore and drifting out again. Quite surprised the report doesn't make findings about the safety or otherwise of heading out that day at all.

fisherking

Yep I nearly went in on that shore too one Sept a couple of years ago
Wouldn't be a novice either...
You just never know as there is some fetch

Zzippy wrote: »

I remember that day, and was quite shocked that anyone was out on that side of the lake in those conditions - it was actually blowing about force 8-9 SE, which gives several miles fetch across the lake to the Tourmakeady shore, so the waves would be huge by that stage. I had a friend who fished from the SE shore the same day and they could only safely drift out a couple of hundred yards before heading back inshore and drifting out again. Quite surprised the report doesn't make findings about the safety or otherwise of heading out that day at all.