The death of a fisherman who was dragged overboard is to be probed by a sheriff.
Tony Masson, 67, fell from his vessel Sea Mist in March last year near his home port of Macduff in Aberdeenshire.
A major search operation was launched after his son Duncan saw the boat circling and raised the alarm.
Mr Masson, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was pulled from the water by a lifeboat crew and rushed to hospital but did not survive.
A fatal accident inquiry is to be held at Banff Sheriff Court where the full circumstances of the skipper’s death will be investigated.
The inquiry is mandatory because Mr Masson was at work at the time of his death.
Last year, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) concluded that Mr Masson had become entangled in a rope and was dragged overboard.
They said he was working alone on deck without a personal flotation device (PFD) and there were no barriers in place to separate him from his fishing gear.
The investigation concluded that he drowned either because he was dragged underwater by the weight of the creels and was unable to free himself in time to reach the surface, or because he was unable to keep himself afloat after releasing his foot from his boot.
It also found a flotation device would have increased his chances of survival.
One was found in the wheelhouse of the vessel.
A preliminary hearing will take place in October, with the full inquiry set for the following month.