This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

The Marine Casulty Investigation Board has released a report on the death of a man who fell overboard at Nimmo’s Pier.

It notes alcohol was a significant contributing factor in the incident, which happened as the boat was returning from a fishing trip.

At around 10am on August 25th 2023, two men left the Claddagh in a recreational boat to go mackerel fishing in Galway Bay.

At around lunchtime, they decided to return to Nimmos Pier.

The skipper – described as highly experienced – was in the cabin piloting the boat, while the second man was on the back deck tending to the catch and cleaning down.

But just a few minutes later the skipper noticed he was no longer onboard, and made a distress call.

The RNLI and Coast Guard responded, and the man was recovered from the water an hour later.

The MCIB report finds the casualty was due to several factors – a fall overboard into cold water, a failure to provide and wear a suitable personal flotation device, and the consumption of alcohol.

It’s not known what led to the fall overboard – but plausible scenarios include falling while gathering water in a bucket, a loss of balance, or a decision to take a dip in the water.

The report states the deceased man’s judgement would have been seriously impaired by the amount of alcohol reported in the toxicology report.

It also notes a personal flotation device was provided to him, which he he later removed – but an inspection found it was in poor condition, and it would not have inflated anyway.

The report makes a range of safety recommendations – including a Government review of enforcement and inspection regimes relating to PFDs.