Queensland coroner delivers verdict on Matthew Barclay’s death at the Aussie surf titles

SURF lifesaving officials have been cleared over the death of Sunshine Coast competitor Matthew Barclay during the 2012 national titles.

MUST CREDIT: HARVIE ALLISON... 04/01/2000 NEWS: Matthew Barclay competing on the morning of his death Pic. Allison Harvie

SURF lifesaving officials have been cleared over the death of Sunshine Coast competitor Matthew Barclay during the 2012 national titles.

Queensland coroner Terry Ryan delivered his findings on the death of 14-year-old Matthew, who disappeared in rough seas while competing in a board race on the Gold Coast in March 2012.

A full scale search was held to look for Maroochydore competitor Matthew Barclay at the Australian Surf Titles. Picture: Luke Marsden.

Mr Ryan said he died from being rendered unconscious by the effects of a dumping wave on shallow sandbank, and that competition officials properly followed safety procedures on the day.

“Given his proficiency in the surf I do not consider that Matthew simply drowned in the conditions after being separated from his board,” Mr Ryan said on Friday.

“While nobody witnessed a board striking Matthew, it is clear from the evidence that there was some catastrophic event on the outer bank at Kurrawa (Beach) that caused Matthew to lose consciousness almost instantly after he was separated from his board.” Witnesses saw the young athlete’s board fly in the air and his unconscious body being buffeted by the waves.

Mr Ryan said Matthew’s board may have knocked him out.

Matthew Barclay.

The inquest heard officials had earlier considered moving the event due to dangerous surf, but decided to go ahead.

Mr Ryan found officials’ policies and procedures for postponement and abandonment for competition were adequate and applied appropriately.

“I am unable to find in retrospect that SLSA (Surf Life Saving Australia) officials incorrectly assessed the risk posed by the surf conditions on that day,” he said.

He recommended the mandatory use of helmets and life jackets in all future surf craft events for competitors in the Under-17s division and below.

Ecumenical and remembrance service for Matthew Barclay at Kurrawa Beach on last day of Australian National Surf Life Saving Titles.

Matthew’s father Stephen said it was some comfort that Matthew was knocked unconscious and would not have struggled.

He said he was also glad that any further deaths would also be investigated by workplace safety officials.

Asked whether enough had been done to look after his son on the day he died, Mr Barclay said: “No, I don’t think so.”

“We do feel let down in some ways. The coroner has made his recommendations. We accept them.”

He said junior events should have “absolutely” been moved from Kurrawa on a day when senior events had been relocated.

Stephen also said he believed the use of an iPad app to gauge surf conditions was “fundamentally flawed”.

“The application at the time said the surf conditions predicted a fatality and that the likelihood was probable. Yet, the application was able to be moderated to say that because he was wearing a green singlet, it brought the level of risk down to low.

“To me that is absurd.

“The green singlet in any other circumstances, other than the conditions he was in, perhaps would have made him visible. It’s not a buoyancy vest, it was never treated as a buoyancy vest. It was a colour designed to delineate between the boys and the girl competitors. And that’s all.”

Surf Life Saving Australia president Graham Ford said they would look closely at the coroner’s findings to see if there was anything further they could do.

“First and foremost I am here today to support the family,” he said.

“It’s been a very trying time for the family. It’s been four years since Matthew died and it’s affected all of us.

“If there is anything more we can do as an organisation to ensure the safety of our members in competition, we’ll implement them.”