Fatal ferry fall man's 'stupid gesture' (From Western Telegraph)

Fatal ferry fall man's 'stupid gesture'

9:49am Friday 28th November 2008

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As the Irish ferry Inishmore approached the port of Pembroke, 18- year-old Liam Robert Murphy was seen to climb over the upper deck rail and fall 20 feet onto the deck below.

Seconds earlier other passengers had seen him shouting and arguing with his mother, Pembrokeshire Coroner Michael Howells was told at an inquest at Milford Haven on Thursday.

Coroner's Officer Jeremy Davies said that Mr Murphy of Ballyndungan, Tagoat, Rosslare, had travelled with his parents from Ireland and was said to be very drunk when the incident occurred on Sunday May 4th. Another passenger saw him walk out of the door onto the deck, still shouting at his mother, and put one leg over the rail.

He said he thought he was joking and asked his mother if he was serious, and then saw him put his other leg over the rail and fall.

He died in Morriston Hospital five days later and a post mortem revealed a blood alcohol content of 222mgms, nearly three times the legal driving limit, and several fractures of the base of the skull.

Recording a verdict that he died from traumatic head injuries sustained in a fall on the ferryboat, having climbed over rail after consuming a considerable amount of alcohol, the Coroner said: "He made what I think was a stupid gesture."

The Coroner added: "I am satisfied that proper and timely medical care was given once the ship arrived at the port, but I can't say anything about the medical care available to him on the Ferry."

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