'It could have been a lot worse': Sea fisheries officer fell into the sea when ladder collapsed during inspection

A sea fisheries officer fell into the sea 50 miles off the Irish coast yesterday when the ladder at the side of trawler he was boarding collapsed as he went to climb on board for a routine inspection.

The officer, Nigel Ducker, said today that it was fortunate that it happened to him rather than somebody else as he had extensive safety training and that the plunge into the cold sea did not cause the shock it would have caused for a less experienced person.

Mr Ducker said that he was on Sea Fisheries Protection duties patrolling the Celtic Sea since St Patrick’s Day and was making a routine boarding of the Vision V trawler having notified them at sea of the inspection and requested the boarding ladder be put out to access their boat. He left his own vessel and went by means of a RIB to the Vision V.

“I proceeded to climb the boarding ladder. I think I got four steps up. It is like a rope ladder with wooden steps. The rope broke and I went into the water with the boarding ladder. The RIB was slightly behind me (with a colleague on board). I went directly into the water.

“The ladder was so close, I had a helmet that was ripped off. I came back up. The safety gear inflated. I pushed away from the vessel… I was in the water for about a minute.

“We do a lot of safety training and I am an ex-lifeboat coxswain in Bantry. I am well used to the cold shock. I was able to keep calm. All our safety measures worked. It could have been a lot worse.

“We directed the vessel to come to Cork. The vessel is now on Kennedy Quay in the city,” Mr Ducker said.

Evidence

The Sea Fisheries Protection Officer gave this evidence in a case prosecuted by state solicitor Jeremiah Healy against master of the Vision V, James Langan of Donegal, who pleaded guilty to not providing a safe boarding ladder as required under regulations.

Tony Greenway solicitor said Mr Langan had cooperated in every way with this matter from the very beginning, and this was accepted by the prosecution.

Judge Mary Dorgan noted at Cork District Court that the maximum fine was €5,000. She imposed a €4,000 fine on the defendant.

Mr Greenway said the 46-year-old master of the vessel had been fishing since 1996 without any conviction of any kind against him.

Mr Ducker said that the particular manilla/hemp rope was used in preference to synthetic materials for its fire-resistant qualities but he said that repeated wetting and drying could cause it to perish.

Mr Greenway said the master of the vessel had been in contact with the owners who took the matter very seriously and had undertaken to replace the ladder, inspect it regularly and store it in a waterproof container in future. The vessel is only 18 months old and otherwise in excellent condition.

Judge Dorgan said the ladder was not just unsafe for Mr Ducker but it could have had terrible consequences if the crew of the trawler had been depending on it in an emergency. The judge agreed that it was fortunate Mr Ducker was such an experienced officer.