Inquest into the disappearance and death of Esmeraldo San Juan
Deceased
Esmeraldo San Juan
Demographics
41y, male
Date of death
2016-03-19
Finding date
2017-08-22
Cause of death
Unknown; presumed drowning
AI-generated summary
Esmeraldo San Juan, a 41-year-old Filipino permanent resident, disappeared while rock fishing at Snapper Point on 19 March 2016 and is presumed to have drowned. He was last seen at 7pm intending to fish despite large waves (5-metre swells). His shoes and bone fragments were later recovered from nearby beaches. A DNA report confirmed his remains. The coroner found no preventable factors in this case. The death occurred in extreme weather conditions at a known high-risk rock fishing location with treacherous currents and crevices. Although Esmeraldo wore a lifejacket, Inspector Peet assessed survival chances as extremely low given the conditions. The 2015 Rock Fishing Act now mandates lifejacket use at high-risk locations, which may prevent future deaths.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Extreme weather conditions - large ocean swells approximately 5 metres
- Treacherous rock shelf environment with steep cliffs and crevices
- Fishing alone without immediate assistance
- Limited mobile phone coverage at location
- Decision to fish despite warnings from acquaintance about dangerous conditions
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