Coroner's Finding: Baker, Christopher John
Deceased
Christopher John Brian Baker
Demographics
66y, male
Date of death
2021-06-09
Finding date
2022-06-13
Cause of death
drowning
AI-generated summary
Christopher John Brian Baker, a 66-year-old experienced sailor, drowned in the Tamar River while attempting to secure his yacht during severe weather. He and his wife took a dinghy out in 40-50 km/h south-easterly winds to retrieve their yacht which was drifting from its mooring. After helping his wife aboard the yacht, Mr Baker was swept away by large waves, the dinghy overturned, and he spent approximately 30 minutes in the water wearing an inflated life jacket. The life jacket rose above his head, increasing drowning risk. He was found face-down in water 10 metres from shore and could not be resuscitated. The coroner found the decision to attempt yacht recovery in severe weather was unwise. While Mr Baker had underlying heart disease, drowning was the primary cause. The case highlights risks of life jackets without crotch straps riding high and the dangers of maritime operations in adverse conditions.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Decision to retrieve yacht in severe weather conditions (40-50 km/h winds)
- Life jacket riding high above head, reducing protection
- Life jacket not fitted with crotch strap
- Prolonged immersion in cold water (approximately 30 minutes)
- Underlying heart disease and coronary artery narrowing
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 —