Inquest into the Death of Luke Anthony MURRAY
Inquest into the Death of Luke Anthony MURRAY
Delivered on :2 May 2018
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Deputy State Coroner Vicker
Recommendations :N/A
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : N/A
Summary : The deceased was a deck hand aboard a commercial crabbing vessel which had left Denham on the afternoon of 14 August 2016. He was last seen alive on the vessel in the early minutes of 15 August 2016, but had disappeared before 6.30am that morning. The vessel at that time was approximately 46.5 nautical miles south west of Steep Point, Cararang Peninsula in the Indian Ocean. Despite an extensive search by emergency services the deceased was not found. He was 40 years of age.
On the 14-15 August 2016 the deceased was described as being a little quieter than normal but there was no concern for the deceased. The fishing vessel departed Denham and the deceased conducted the first watch. The skipper went to bed when the deceased commenced his watch. The deceased was later observed to be asleep in his bunk at 12.45am on 15 August 2016. The crew awoke at approximately 6.15am and started having breakfast, but the deceased did not appear and this was unusual as the deceased was one of the first up, either having a cigarette or breakfast. At 6.20am and after the deceased could not be located the skipper of the vessel made arrangements for the police to be alerted for the need for a search for a man overboard.
The Deputy State Coroner at the conclusion of the evidence was satisfied the death of deceased has been established beyond all reasonable and further found the deceased had died as result of drowning in the Indian Ocean west of Cararang Peninsula sometime between 1.00am and 6.00am on 15 August 2015. However the Deputy State Coroner was unable to determine to a requisite standard of proof the deceased died with an intention to end his life and made an open finding as to the death of the deceased.
Catch Words : Missing Person : Man Overboard : Open Finding
Last updated: 22-Nov-2024
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