Government of Western Australia State Coat of Arms
Coroner's Court of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia State Coat of Arms
Coroner's Court of Western Australia

Inquest into the Death of Foo Kun KHOR

Inquest into the Death of Foo Kun KHOR

Delivered on :10 December 2015

Delivered at : Perth

Finding of : Deputy State Coroner Vicker

Recommendations :Yes

I recommend that, in addition to the warning sign located above the fishing spot referred to as “second grid”, there be a separate large pictorial depiction of a fisherman being swept from a cliff similar to the stylised diagram at the top of the current warning sign.

In addition, in view of the number of overseas workers in the area, specific warnings in a number of languages would be helpful.  Those suggested by the investigating police officer in this matter were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cantonese, French, German and Italian.

Orders/Rules : N/A

Suppression Order : N/A

Summary : The deceased was a 39 year old Malaysian national residing in Western Australia, following the expiration of his visa, as an unlawful immigrant.  The deceased in company with a friend went fishing north of the blow holes on Quobba Station on 12 June 2013.  The deceased was swept into the ocean off a rock ledge from which he had been fishing.  His friend tried to assist the deceased by throwing an emergency life ring into the water but the deceased was unable to reach the life ring before he disappeared under the waves.  He did not resurface and has not been since.

A significant rescue operation was undertaken but the body of the deceased was never recovered.

The Office of the State Coroner received a letter from the Consulate General of Malaysia who wrote on behalf of the deceased’s wife expressing concern that the deceased was missing while fishing at Quobba Station near Carnarvon and was now deceased.  The State Coroner had reasonable cause to suspect the deceased had died and that the death was a reportable death and directed the suspected death of the deceased be investigated.  In those circumstances an inquest into the circumstances of the suspected death was held to establish beyond all reasonable doubt the death of the deceased and, if possible, into how the death occurred and the cause of the death.

The Coroner found that deceased died on 12 June 2013 approximately 4 kilometres north of the blow holes, in the Indian Ocean, off Quobba Station, Carnarvon, as a result of drowning and death arose by way of misadventure.

Catch Words : Warning Signs :Fishing : Misadventure


Last updated: 28-Feb-2024

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