Mussel fisherman had no lifejacket on when ship sank

A report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board report has revealed that a fisherman who drowned after his boat capsized was not wearing a lifejacket — despite the presence of safety equipment on board.

Crewman John Ennis and skipper Richard McNamara had gone fishing for mussels on the Na Buachaillí on Feb 18, 2011.

They set out for the mussel beds at Duncannon in Wexford at 7.15am. Fishing progressed well and 58 of the 80 bags of mussels had been harvested and stored on deck on the port and starboard sides, allowing for a central walkway.