Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Paul Barning
Deceased
Paul Barning
Demographics
58y, male
Date of death
2025-02-23
Finding date
2025-10-14
Cause of death
Unknown - the available evidence does not allow for any finding as to the cause of death, though drowning or shark predation are possibilities
AI-generated summary
Paul Barning, an experienced game fisherman, died on 23 February 2025 when he was suddenly pulled overboard whilst managing a trace line during a game fishing tournament off Newcastle. He was holding the trace line with the wrap method (wrapping it around his hands) when a large Mako shark moved rapidly into deeper water, pulling him over the side rail of the boat into the Pacific Ocean. Despite extensive search and rescue efforts involving multiple vessels and helicopters, he was never found. A specialist in search and rescue concluded he likely died by drowning within minutes. The coroner found no evidence suggesting he could have survived. The cause of death cannot be determined due to the absence of a body and post-mortem examination, though drowning or shark predation are possibilities. The manner was misadventure. The case highlights the inherent risks of game fishing and the potential dangers of improper trace line management techniques.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Sudden and unexpected pull by large Mako shark whilst managing trace line
- Trace line wrapped around both hands using wrap method, potentially trapping hands
- No life vest being worn by crew member
- Large shark (200-250 kg) in close proximity after being attracted by bait and burley
- Rapid movement of shark into deeper water
Full text
Related cases
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. All court orders for redaction and non-publication are respected; documents with technically defective redaction have been excluded from the database entirely. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction —