Ferry port worker died after becoming entangled in ropes

A port worker died after he became entangled in two ropes attached to a ferry's mooring lines at Cairnryan, a sheriff has said.

John Hamilton, who had been handling the lines on a quayside while they were being winched aboard Stena's Superfast VII, was lifted off his feet.

The 60-year-old was pulled against a metal structure on the quay, then struck the ship's hull before falling into Loch Ryan.

Following a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) , Sheriff Garry Sutherland said Stena put in place "comprehensive precautions" after the accident in July 2024.

The FAI heard that Hamilton, a port services operative (PSO), had been following work procedures when he become entangled.

The sheriff said the accident could have been avoided if precautions were taken.

These included an immediate pause on the recovery of the mooring lines when the PSO entered the area where the work was taking place.

Also, if the person in charge of bringing the lines onboard had a position on the ferry that gave them a complete overview of the quayside.

Sheriff Sutherland said he had no recommendations to make because Stena had taken steps that "might realistically prevent other deaths in similar circumstances".

In his determination, the sheriff said Hamilton was well loved by his family and friends and a respected and experienced PSO.

Sheriff Sutherland said neither Hamilton or any of his colleagues perceived any unusual danger during his work, and an "unfortunate combination" of a number of factors resulted in his death.

He said: "Neither he nor any of his colleagues were at fault."

Sheriff Sutherland said even the "selfless efforts" of one of Hamilton's long-time work-mates could not avert his death.

The sheriff said Stena learned lessons from the accident, implementing immediate and comprehensive measures to seek to ensure that something similar did not happen again.