Finding into death of Andrew Ewen Mallett
Deceased
Andrew Ewen Mallett
Demographics
41y, male
Date of death
2024-11-28
Finding date
2025-10-27
Cause of death
Undetermined, likely drowned
AI-generated summary
Andrew Mallett, a 41-year-old strong swimmer with fitness background, disappeared and is presumed drowned at Artillery Rock near Lorne on 28 November 2024. He entered the water to spearfish despite hazardous conditions including strong currents, large swells, submerged rocks, and extensive bull kelp forests presenting entanglement risks. Signage clearly warned of these hazards and absence of lifesaving services. While a bystander attempted rescue with a buoy, Andrew could not be located despite extensive search efforts. The coroner determined death resulted from misadventure: misjudgement of unsafe conditions. Clinical lessons include recognising that even experienced swimmers and divers face significant risks in extreme marine environments, and importance of heeding environmental hazard warnings regardless of personal swimming ability.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- Misjudgement of unsafe water conditions
- Large swell and waves higher than usual
- Strong currents
- Submerged rocks and slippery surfaces
- Extensive bull kelp forests with entanglement hazard
- Absence of lifesaving service
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