FAI to probe creel boat fishing fatality

Arrangements were finalised on Tuesday for a fatal accident inquiry into the death of a West African creel fisherman off Orkney.

It is to be held at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on February 9 and 10 next year, in front of Sheriff Robert McDonald.

Richard Fiati drowned after being accidentally dragged overboard from a creelboat 30 nautical miles east-north-east off Wick last summer.

The 40-year-old deckhand was among six aboard the Kingfisher, which had left Stromness on the evening of July 8 last year bound for fishing grounds to the east of Orkney.

The tragedy occurred on the afternoon of July 12, as he shot strings of creels in water depth of about 50 metres.

According to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the tragedy, the Ghanaian accidentally threaded a toggle of one of the creels through both the connecting leg rope and the becket hanging loose from his lifejacket, which he wore over his oilskins.

For the full story, see this week’s edition of The Orcadian in shops and online.