A Fatal Accident Inquiry will be held into the death of a man from Covid on an offshore oil rig.
Donald Singer, 66, was a crane operator from Aberdeen working offshore on the Ninian Southern Platform.
On April 3, 2020 he was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after his Covid symptoms worsened, and he died there on May 4.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has undertaken to investigate more than 6,000 Covid-19 related deaths, with two FAIs having already taken place into the death of four men in prison.
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A Fatal Accident Inquiry is mandatory for deaths in custody, while a discretionary FAI is ordered when the Lord Advocate concludes that a death raises serious public concern and that an inquiry is in the public interest.
The death of Mr Singer will be the first discretionary inquiry into a death from the virus.
A preliminary hearing will be held on 12 December 2025 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: “Thousands of families lost loved ones during the pandemic, and we undertook the single most significant and challenging investigation of deaths in Scottish history.
“We remain committed to thorough, professional and independent investigations into every reported death, providing bereaved families with answers and supporting public understanding of the pandemic’s impact.
“As the first discretionary FAI, this is a milestone as we work to establish a better understanding of these deaths and inform decisions made in the future.”
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