Inquest into the Death of Damien Lyndon WOODS
Deceased
Damien Lyndon WOODS
Demographics
18y, male
Date of death
2021-02-27
Finding date
2024-03-26
Cause of death
Immersion (drowning) shortly after being washed into the sea whilst fishing off rocks near Cheynes in Waychinicup National Park
AI-generated summary
Damien Woods, 18, was swept into the Indian Ocean while rock fishing at Waychinicup National Park on 27 February 2021 when large waves knocked him and his cousin into treacherous waters. Although his cousin was rescued, Damien was never found despite an extensive multi-agency search operation. Expert opinion indicates he likely drowned within minutes of entering the cold water, as he was not wearing a life jacket despite habitually doing so. The coroner found death was established beyond reasonable doubt and determined it was accidental drowning. This case reinforces critical safety lessons: rock fishing without flotation devices and harnesses carries extreme risk, particularly in rough sea conditions. Families and others planning coastal rock fishing must carefully assess conditions and implement appropriate safety precautions.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Absence of life jacket despite habitually wearing one when rock fishing
- Rough sea conditions with large waves (six-metre swell)
- Slippery and treacherous rocks covered with black algae
- Moderate swimming ability (rated 5 out of 10)
- Cold water temperature (17-20°C)
- Lack of flotation devices or harness tethering
Coroner's recommendations
- All persons contemplating fishing from shoreline rocks in Western Australia should carefully assess prevailing conditions before doing so
- Appropriate safety precautions should be taken before rock fishing, including wearing life jackets and being tethered to a strongpoint by a wearable harness
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