AN OFFICIAL report has revealed the heartbreaking final moments of a Pembrokeshire fisherman who died as his ship sank.
Ship’s mate Robert Morley, was thrown into the sea in the early hours of November 21, 2020, when the Joanna C capsized off the coast of Newhaven.
Mr Morley, 38, lived in Llangolman and Clarbeston Road with his fiancée and two children but worked away on fishing boats for extended periods of time.
Robert’s fiancée, Natasha Croydon, said that Robert had intended on leaving at Christmas and “he was just doing it one last time to have a fantastic Christmas and we never got that.”
Captain David Bickerstaff, 34, was pulled from the sea hours later, the sole survivor of the tragedy, which also sadly claimed the life of 26-year-old deckhand, Adam Harper.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) discovered that there was a life raft on the ship, but it did not inflate, which “adversely affected the survivability of the crew”.
The MAIB investigation, which was released earlier this summer, reveals how the scallop dredger ran into trouble after being entangled in a line of whelk pots.
After Robert was thrown into the cold sea, David and Adam became trapped in the bunk room for approximately 40 minutes.
Shortly before 6am, David started to notice the ship sinking and opened an escape hatch, telling Adam they needed to get out.
David luckily managed to escape the sinking ship but Adam remained trapped inside as it went down.
The report stated: “When the vessel started to sink, the skipper was able to escape, which was fortunate given the darkness and likely obstructions in his path.
“However, the deckhand remained trapped.
“Once the vessel had begun to sink water ingress to the crew accommodation was likely rapid, denying the deckhand any opportunity to escape.”
David found Mr Morley in the water and the pair were able to see “the lights off other fishing vessels nearby”.
Sadly, before he could be rescued, Robert “succumbed to the cold and drifted away, leaving the skipper holding on to the lifebuoy”.
The report said: “The mate was tangled in an orange rope attached to the lifebuoy and was very cold.
“While attempting to untangle the mate, his lifejacket was removed and was lost.
“The consequent loss of dexterity and useful movement in his arms and legs meant that he could not maintain his hold on the lifebuoy, which was his only means of support following the loss of his personal flotation device.
“Without support, the mate’s ability to maintain his head and airway above the water was lost and he likely slipped below the surface and drowned.”
It is unknown how long Robert was in the water before he died.
The report estimates it could have been anywhere up to 3 hours 45 minutes after the boat capsized.
“After one hour in the water, the mate was within the window for exhaustion, unconsciousness, and death from hypothermia,” the report continued.
“Without the support afforded by a personal floatation device or the shelter of a life raft, his chances of survival were significantly reduced.”
When the Joanna C got into trouble, the boat’s emergency radio went off, alerting the coastguard.
A large search was undertaken, and David was eventually rescued from the ocean around 8.50 a.m.
Divers discovered Adam’s 26-year-old body five days later.
The following month, Robert’s body was discovered washed up near Bexhill.
Writing on Facebook, his stepfather, Barry Woolford, from Brixham, said: “To all the beautiful people of Brixham, it is with much sadness that I have to inform you that our son Robert Morley has been identified as the body that was brought from the sea at Bexhill in December.
“Thank you all for your fantastic support and love these past 12 weeks.”
