Fisherman dies in accident on trawler off southwest coast

Olivia Kelleher

A fisherman whose two-year-old son died in tragic circumstances in 2023 has now lost his own life in a freak accident on a trawler off the southwest coast.

Moses Odonkor, who was originally from Ghana, incurred fatal injuries on a trawler off the coast of Cork on Tuesday morning. His crew mates tried without avail to revive him.

The authorities were contacted and the ‘Boy Jason’ trawler arrived back at Castletownbere in Co Cork on Wednesday morning.

A postmortem is due to be carried out at Cork University Hospital. The coroner has been informed and an inquest will be heard in due course.

The vessel was fishing for prawns on the Porcupine Bank, west of the Blasket Islands, when the accident occurred.

It is understood the 53-year-old suffered a blow to the head in the course of his work. The death is being treated as a tragic accident.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Unit, the Marine Survey Office and the Health and Safety Authority have all been informed.

Niall Duffy, chairman of the charity Lost At Sea, said Mr Odonkor was an experienced fisherman who was well thought of by his peers and the general community.

“On behalf of the fishing community, I want to extend our sympathies to the family and his fellow crew mates on the tragic loss of a respected and well-liked crewman.”

Mr Odonkor was predeceased by his son Joshua, who died after choking on a grape at home. He is survived by his wife, Philomena, and their son, Emmanuel.