The inquest heard that Ross Ballantine, Alan Minard, and Carl McGrath drowned when their boat, the Nicola Faith, sank during calm weather on January 27, 2021.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had previously found that the boat was heavily loaded with 4.6 tonnes of whelks and whelk pots, which made it unstable and prone to capsizing.
The MAIB also reported that the vessel had been modified, but these modifications were not enough to make it unsafe.
However, it was the volume of catch and the way it was stored that caused the problem.
The coroner said that safety and inspection standards have improved since the accident, but he will be looking into whether further improvements are needed to prevent such tragedies in the future.
LONDON DAILY ARCHIVE
Coroner Finds Three Fishermen Drowned due to Overloaded Boat and Unstable Modifications
A coroner in Ruthin, North Wales, has concluded that three fishermen died after their boat sank due to an overload of catch and modifications that made it unstable.
14 July 2023 · 21:57 UTC
