2013/06

Marine report 2013/06

This investigation has been limited in scope and the "Accident Investigation Board Norway" (AIBN) has consequently issued a simplified report. The 49 years old fisherman was fishing alone in his fishing boat with net on 2nd March 2013. He became lost at sea the same day and during SAR-operations the boat was found stranded on a beach in the late evening with its engine still running. After several days of search, both on shore and in the sea, the fisherman was never found. As the fisherman was fishing alone, there were no witnesses to what happened on board that day. The few observations made during the course of events are consequently not sufficient enough for any clear conclusion. However, with the few facts that appeared during investigations, AIBN expects that the fisherman unwillingly fell overboard during the very end of setting out fishing net #2. AIBN expect that the fisherman died due to drowning, as a direct consequence of falling overboard, or that the time he stayed in cold water (+2C) lead to drowning due to the hypothermic effect. With reference to previous investigations carried out by AIBN, with similar fall overboard accidents from fishing boats, AIBN conclude that no new safety issues has appeared during the investigation of this accident. No safety recommendation is issued in connection with this investigation. This report is in Norwegian only.

Facts