No life-jacket and uncontrolled dogs contributed to fatal canoe accident

The presence of two uncontrolled dogs in an open canoe was probably a contributory factor in a fatal accident in Kenmare Bay last year, according to marine safety inspectors.

An official report into the incident, which resulted in the drowning of a local man, claimed “boisterous” behaviour by the animals compromised the canoe’s stability and played a role in it overturning.

An inquiry by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board also found the victim and another man in the vessel were not wearing lifejackets and had undertaken the journey in adverse weather conditions with near gale force winds.

Bill Topham, a father of three from Templenoe, Kenmare, Co Kerry, drowned after the vessel overturned around 200 metres from shore on January 31 last year.

Mr Topham, a 55-year-old electrician and warden in the local Church of Ireland, and a friend had embarked on a duck shoot on Kelly’s Islands in Kenmare Bay together with two springer spaniels.

It was the last day of the shooting season and they headed out at around 2pm from a pier at Templenoe, a few miles outside Kenmare.

The victim’s friend managed to swim safely to the shore of one of the islands from where he was subsequently rescued by emergency crews. The two dogs managed to swim back to the mainland.

The MCIB said the voyage had been undertaken in bad weather, which was not suitable for the use of a laden canoe.

“If due consideration had been given to the weather conditions and flotation devices, the chances of a casualty would have been dramatically minimised,” the report noted.

Inspectors pointed out the canoe contained a warning notice: “Always wear your personal flotation device.” It said the code of practice for the safe operation of recreational craft relating to canoes had not been complied with by the two men.

Mr Topham’s body was recovered the following day by local divers.

The MCIB said gale warnings and small craft warning were in operation at the time of the accident.

The MCIB said canoeing has an inevitable element of natural risk which was managed by a combination of experience, techniques and safety.

“When canoeing, one should always wear a flotation device; never paddle alone and always be aware of weather conditions,” the MCIB said.

It recommended that the code of practice, which is currently being updated by Transport Minister Shane Ross, should be more widely publicised.