An official report has concluded that a drowned Aberdeenshire skipper’s survival chances could have improved if he was wearing a lifejacket.
The findings also revealed the fisherman’s final communications over the radio as he called out for help from a lifeboat.
Sandy Alexander died after getting into difficulty in his creel boat, The Lexi Rose, in shallow waters near Macduff in September 2023.
The 69-year-old was fishing by himself on his Banff-registered boat near to shore at Melrose Point, east of Macduff, when the accident happened.
The most likely cause of the difficulty was his boat’s propellor striking a rock near the shore, according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)
The experienced fisherman of 40 years was then found dead in the water with significant head injuries.
At the time of the tragedy, tributes poured in for the skipper.
Family and friends described him as “the best fisherman” and a “fine man and character”.
Sandy Alexander made final cries for help
The report also said there had been a call on very high frequency radio channel from Mr Alexander, which said: “Lifeboat, lifeboat, lifeboat. We’re ashore, engine stopped, need a lifeboat.”
Soon afterwards, Mr Alexander said: “I need a lifeboat, she’s going, she’s going.”
Within 40 minutes of his distress call the Macduff inshore lifeboat arrived at the cove.
However, the vessel could not enter it due to a combination of sea and swell.
The crew could not see Lexi Rose’s skipper from their position on board the lifeboat.
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Now, a report published says that the skipper’s chances of survival could have been “improved” if he was wearing a lifejacket.
The document concluded: “The skipper’s chances of survival would have been improved had he been wearing a PFD.”
But, the document also concluded that Alexander could have been caught out by a sea swell, despite favourable sailing conditions.
It was also unlikely that he had any time to react to take emergency action, factoring in the conditions.
Mr Alexander was known to be a non-swimmer who was known to occasionally wear a lifejacket while fishing.
The report did not make any safety recommendations, citing existing industry guidance on the risks of single-manned fishing operations.
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