Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Bruce Robinson

72y · Male·The available evidence does not allow for any finding to be made as to the cause of Mr Robinson's death

Bruce Robinson, a 72-year-old man with a history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, schizophrenia, psychosis, and dementia, died on 27 October 2022 after jumping from a ferry into Sydney Harbour. He had been non-compliant with his antipsychotic medication (olanzapine) for approximately five years, experiencing recurrent psychotic episodes. In the months before his death, his physical health declined significantly following severe community-acquired pneumonia with septic shock. On the day of his death, Mr Robinson was discharged from hospital with low blood pressure, then travelled to Manly and boarded an evening ferry. CCTV footage clearly showed him deliberately climbing over the ferry's railing and jumping into the water at 10:25pm near Sydney Heads. Despite extensive search efforts, his body was never recovered. The coroner concluded he died by suicide. Key clinical lessons include the importance of medication compliance monitoring in psychotic disorders, assessment of suicide risk in patients with declining physical health and mental illness, and the need for coordinated mental health follow-up after hospital discharge.