Inquest into the Deaths of Chunjun LI and Jiaolong ZHANG

Contributing factors

• Absence of life jackets
• Sudden immersion in rough water with large waves and strong currents
• Poor water conditions on the day with high energy waves
• Inadequate knowledge of survival physiology and water safety
• Rope securing mechanism failed to prevent fall into water
• Rapid onset of physiological responses to cold water immersion
• Negative buoyancy preventing surface flotation (especially for deceased Zhang)
• Lack of positive buoyancy to maintain airway clearance

Coroner's recommendations

1. Regulations be implemented requiring rock fishermen wear life jackets when fishing from rocks subject to wave action and spray on the WA coast; life jackets to comply with Australian Standards 4758.1:2015, self-inflate on impact with water, have minimum 150N buoyancy, be made of retro reflective material, be abrasion resistant and incorporate a light and whistle; rock fishermen carry a personal emergency positioning indicator rescue beacon (EPIRB)
2. Approaches be made to Telstra to install a mobile phone tower on Eclipse Island after suitable survey to assist communication in alerting responders to and coordinating emergencies
3. A marine VHF repeater be installed and maintained on Eclipse Island by DFES on channel 80 with separate infrastructure from the police repeater
4. Collaboration in developing reliable communication plans utilising internationally approved frequencies/channel allocations for marine search and rescue operations in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Standards
5. The regulation and management of drones for emergency search and rescue operations be clarified and training and certification of competent pilots be promoted within search and rescue groups