Death of fisherman Steven Robertson to be further investigated

Jan 31 2013 by Andrew McNair, Galloway News

An inquest into the death of Dalbeattie fisherman Steven Robertson will take place in March.

Steven, 25, fell to his death from the scallop dredger St Amant last January off the coast of Wales.

Dewi Pritchard-Jones, coroner for north-west Wales, confirmed this week that an inquest has been granted.

Steven’s dad Craig Robertson, 51, hopes more information into his son’s tragic death may be forthcoming.

He said: “An inquest won’t bring him back, but we may get answers.”

Craig, of Mullingar, in Ireland, also revealed he was yet to receive Steven’s possessions following the tragedy.

The family did receive a package, according to the road construction worker, but there was nothing of Steven’s in it.

Craig said: “When we were told his belongings were being returned, it offered some comfort to the family at a devastating time.

“You can imagine our heartache when we received a box with another man’s grubby clothes. It was, quite literally, a box packed with torn rags.

“We were rifling through old pairs of jeans and shirts, desperate to find something of Steven’s. There was nothing.”

He blames the ship’s operators for the mix-up.

It is believed the young fisherman had no life jacket when he went overboard and his body has never been found.

There was an agonising wait because skipper Sandy Baird, 51, didn’t know Steven’s surname or address.

His girlfriend, Megan Willdig, 19, from the Stewartry town found out two weeks after Steven went missing that she was pregnant.

In his last words to his son, Craig told him: “Take care, son – and make sure you wear a lifejacket.”

He added: “It breaks my heart to know that he never found out he was about to be a dad.”

A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch found many failures with regards St Amant’s health and safety record.