AN investigation into the death of a fisherman who became trapped between a boat and a quay wall has ruled the amount of alcohol he had drunk was partly to blame for the tragedy.
James Reid, from Fraserburgh, fell into the water at Royal Quays marina in North Shields while trying to climb on board a fishing vessel to access the boat he skippered, Horizon II, in the early hours of November 9, 2013.
A Marine Accident Investigation Branch report found that he had drunk 10 units of alcohol in three-and-a-half hours in a nearby pub and was about two-and-a-quarter times the drink-drive limit when he returned to the boat.
He lost his balance, fell and hit his head on the way down. The berthing master saw him slip and raised the alarm immediately but could not see Mr Reid in the darkness. He was pulled from the water about 30 minutes later and taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The report said an ankle sprain Mr Reid had suffered earlier in the year may have caused him to lose his balance.
It said: "James had probably used the same route and method to board Horizon II while she was berthed outboard of New Dawn several times prior to the accident. However, he had worked a long day and was returning to his vessel after spending several hours drinking in a bar.
"It is therefore possible that James was fatigued when he fell, and the obvious effect of alcohol on his motor co-ordination skills and judgment cannot be ignored."
The report said that Royal Quays marina had since implemented an action plan to improve the levels of emergency equipment provided on berths.
It also said the means of access to the berths on the marina's middle pier were "unnecessarily hazardous", although that factor was "not contributory to this accident". It added: "A recommendation has been made to the owners of Royal Quays marina designed to improve the access arrangements for the middle pier berths at the marina."
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