Finding into death of Robert J Ward
Deceased
Robert J Ward
Demographics
65y, male
Date of death
2012-11-25
Finding date
2013
Cause of death
Consistent With Drowning
AI-generated summary
Robert Ward, 65, drowned in Belfast Bay after his fishing boat's motor failed to start due to a corroded battery cable. With an undersized anchor that failed to hold the boat, it drifted into breaking waves and capsized. Ward and his wife wore inflatable Type 1 PFDs that lacked crutch straps, allowing them to ride up and rendering the devices ineffective—a critical design flaw. The coroner identified that proper PFD design with crutch straps, adequate anchoring equipment, and maintenance of electrical systems are essential for vessel safety. Lessons include ensuring marine equipment is properly maintained, anchors are appropriately sized for vessel and conditions, and PFDs have design features that keep them in place during water immersion, enabling arm use for swimming and self-rescue.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Motor failure due to corroded battery cable
- Undersized anchor inadequate for vessel and sea conditions
- Type 1 inflatable PFD design flaw allowing device to ride up on body
- PFD design preventing use of arms for swimming or self-rescue
- Ineffective radio communication (27 MHz radio not monitored by shore services)
- Increased wind and wave conditions during afternoon
- Medical conditions compromising mobility and fitness of both deceased
Coroner's recommendations
- Transport Safety Victoria should consider seeking modification to Australian Standard for Type 1 inflatable PFDs to require that a crutch strap be a part of the design of these devices
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 —