Fisherman died after boat grounded and capsized near Aberdeenshire

The death of a fisherman who drowned after his vessel capsized could have been avoided had he been wearing a lifejacket.

Alexander Alexander, from Fraserburgh, was creel fishing on the boat Lexi Rose in a cove at Melrose Point, between the towns of Macduff and Gardenstown in Aberdeenshire, when the vessel grounded and capsized on September 21, 2023.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry heard that the 69-year-old suffered a head injury and was knocked unconscious, causing him to drown.

The experienced fisherman had called for help before his vessel was found capsized. A Coastguard helicopter was able to locate Mr Alexander before he was pronounced dead on board the rescue helicopter.

Sheriff Robert McDonald found that Mr Alexander’s death could have been prevented if he had been wearing a lifejacket and if he had avoided the area of Melrose Point on the day of the incident.

He made no recommendations.

Sheriff McDonald concluded: “Mr Alexander, particularly when working alone, ought to have worn a personal floatation device at appropriate times, and particularly when working on the deck of the Lexi Rose.

“I accepted the evidence which suggested that Mr Alexander rarely wore such a device, and this indicates that he had developed a system of working when fishing alone, which was contrary to established fishing industry guidance and may have contributed to his death.

“Mr Alan West did his best to save Mr Alexander, by his immediate attempt to provide him with assistance, by summoning the emergency services, and by searching for him in the sea. He is to be commended for his efforts, in challenging conditions, and ought to be reassured that he did all he reasonably could in the circumstances.

“The emergency services and their coordination, involving the Harbour Master, Mr Duncan Mackie, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and His Majesty’s Coastguard, including winchman Mr Scott Sharman are to be commended for their efforts to rescue Mr Alexander in challenging conditions.”