Fatigue may have been factor in drowning of elderly fisherman

Marine Casualty Investigation Board report concluded it was likely fisherman had become ill or trapped below deck shortly after stopping his vessel in an area near the shore after a long day at sea

James Byrne, who drowned after his fishing vessel, Mirror of Justice, sank near Teelin, Co Donegal, on August 20, 2020.

An official investigation into the death of an elderly fisherman who drowned off the Donegal coast two years ago concluded fatigue may have been a contributory factor in the fatal incident.

A report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board said the victim had been alone on his boat for 10 hours on a small vessel which was subject to a constant Atlantic swell which would induce fatigue in anyone of any age.