Gwynedd skipper Gareth Jones died in boat winch accident
A skipper died on his boat off the Gwynedd coast after getting caught in an inadequately maintained winch system, an accident report has found.
Gareth Jones, 36, from Morfa Nefyn, was found dead on board his scallop dredger off Porthdinllaen on the Llyn peninsula on 30 March 2014. The report found the winch was in a "dangerously poor condition". His vessel was not fitted with safety devices required by UK legislation. Mr Jones became entangled on the warping drum - used to handle chain and rope - of the winch as he attempted to recover his dredge gear, the report found. It also said it was unsafe for Mr Jones to operate the vessel as a scallop dredger single-handedly. The report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) concluded: "The poor material state of Ronan Orla indicated that financial constraints rather than a lack of safety awareness prevented him from employing a crewman and maintaining his vessel properly."