A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report has revealed that a Pembrokeshire fisherman probably would have survived if he had been wearing a lifejacket when his brother-in-law's boat sank.
Thirty-one-year-old John Askey, of Reynalton, was with Douglas Hook, of Pembroke Dock, on a whelking trip, when the fishing boat they were on sank in Carmarthen Bay in June. Skipper Mr. Hook was dragged from the boat's wheelhouse by Mr. Askey when the vessel started flooding.
Both started to swim towards a buoy, but were caught by the tide. Mr. Hook was unable to revive Mr. Askey after he slipped under the water for a second time.
Miraculously, 38-year-old Mr. Hook survived in cold waters for almost 10 hours, before staggering ashore at Pendine.
The MAIB report said that there was no evidence of lifesaving equipment on board the Pamela S which went down on a fine calm day. It said the vessel had a very low level of inherent stability, electrical faults, no bilge alarm and was missing bolts from the base of the stern gantry.
The report added that the vessel capsized as water flooded the wheelhouse, at which point the two men went into the sea and started to swim towards a navigation buoy, but the tide carried them away. The MAIB report recommended improved safety measures for similar-sized fishing vessels less than 15m.