Father-of-10 drowned while fishing at night, coroner finds

A man drowned in Tasmanian waters while fishing alone at night while drunk with the coroner ruling the death accidental.

Glenn Thomas Wood drowned after he accidentally fell while fishing at Quoiba, Tasmania.

IT WAS in the depths of winter that Glenn Thomas Wood was found face-down in the ice-cold Mersey River, with his fishing rod set nearby.

The father-of-10 had been travelling around Tasmania in a caravan with his wife and four youngest children and had gone fishing at night off the rocks at Quoiba’s Horsehead Creek in the North-West. He was alone in the dark and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.188.

State Coroner Olivia McTaggart has found that Mr Wood, a non-swimmer, fell into the creek and drowned.

His death, which occurred between 8pm on June 14 last year and 7am the next morning, has been officially recorded as accidental.

Ms McTaggart said Mr Wood’s death was avoidable.

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“I am satisfied that Mr Wood accidentally fell from the pontoon whilst fishing,” she said.

“It is possible that he may have stood on the edge of the pontoon to urinate into the water.”

Ms McTaggart said Mr Wood, 56, sometimes became violent and disgruntled when he drank alcohol and mixed it with his medication for bipolar disorder and a range of other health conditions.

Mr Wood’s wife noticed he hadn’t returned to their caravan and called police about 2am on the morning he was found dead by search and rescue officers.

“The death of Mr Wood was avoidable,’’ Ms McTaggart said.

“He was fishing alone at night in winter. He was intoxicated and was not wearing a personal flotation device.

“In these circumstances, a fall into the water would almost inevitably result in death.

“Although coroners continue to warn of the dangers of drowning in similar circumstances, the risks do not appear to be fully appreciated by some members of the community.”