Nautorius
regular
Reged: 24/06/2003
Posts: 3912
Loc: Boat at a Marina near you!
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I was chatting to a chap who has a company which Trawls in the Southern atlantic. His boats are MCA coded so all his crew wear auto inflation lifejackets. Last year he tragically last a crew member when he went overboard.
This was the Southern Atlantic in Winter and he did not die of Hypothermia. His lifejacket worked, was bright yellow on inflation and this attracted the Sea Gulls. They then attacked him. Unfortunately He could not get the life jacket off and so could not get under the water. He was pecked to death.
Horrible way to go...and a reminder for fisherman who are followed by gulls. I do not know what the answer is but a bad situation became tragic due to the wearing of safety gear.
Paul 
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Boating is the only thing that keeps me sane!
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carlton
regular
Reged: 08/09/2005
Posts: 2738
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That's terrible - sounds like a scene from 'The Birds'.
Poor bugger.
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S28
regular
Reged: 19/09/2002
Posts: 4058
Loc: South Coast
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Hmmm. Sounds like a fishy tale to me.
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carlton
regular
Reged: 08/09/2005
Posts: 2738
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Ooh - you cynic, you. 
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Nautorius
regular
Reged: 24/06/2003
Posts: 3912
Loc: Boat at a Marina near you!
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The Gentlemen concerned is the owner of the company and was sat next to me in BA Business Long haul (First was full) . I can vouch that it happened. He went into many more details and was visibly still shaken.
The Skipper was so shocked he is retiring...and these are hardened fishermen.
Unfortunately not a Fishy tale..
Paul
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Boating is the only thing that keeps me sane!
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PilotWolf
regular
Reged: 19/04/2005
Posts: 532
Loc: East Yorkshire
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Think I d tend to agree with S28...
How did they find out? Surely if he went over the side they would have managed to recover him long before he got pecked to death? If not how do they know he didn't die before being attacked? Or did they watch him being devoured rather than rescue him???
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Nautorius
regular
Reged: 24/06/2003
Posts: 3912
Loc: Boat at a Marina near you!
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..Fair weather. Went overboard and they put a spotter on him with binocks (who saw it all). Then had to turn round a 135ft trawler (took over 5 mins). They recovered a gruesome looking corpse. The guy had survival suit on and would have survived in those conditions. The detail was horendous so will save it for off forum talk.
Unfortunate but True. Only mentioned it to raise awareness. BTW. Gulls in South atlantic are very big and have 6 inch beaks.......you can imagine the rest. Straight through the soft areas into the brain. Remember an auto inflation lifejacket holds the face up to the sky.
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Boating is the only thing that keeps me sane!
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PilotWolf
regular
Reged: 19/04/2005
Posts: 532
Loc: East Yorkshire
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Sorry still find it very hard to believe that he could have been pecked to death in 5 mins and secondly that a trawler of that size didn't have a rescue boat.
The skull is a pretty good protection for the brain - the only routes in are through bone or small orifices, so find it hard that the guy couldn't fight the birds off for a short period... if following a large trawler I doubt they were that hungry.
All lifejackets can also be deflated via the oral inflation tube...
No doubting your relating of the story but do doubt the teller - think there has been a lot of exaggeration or you haven't had the full story.
Any trawler skipper.mate would simply run the gear away for a MOB, or even force the turn by letting one side of the trawl run off to let the other side act as a fulcrum.
W. (ex trawler skipper and ex paramedic)
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Nautorius
regular
Reged: 24/06/2003
Posts: 3912
Loc: Boat at a Marina near you!
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Fair Enough,
I did get a full story..over 20 mins worth. Just para phrased it for on here.
The guy was very credible..but that was to me.
Paul
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Boating is the only thing that keeps me sane!
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longjohnsilver
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 7119
Loc: Devon
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Nah, I suspect someone's been pulling your plonker.
Man pecked to death by gulls! That's a tabloid editors dream headline. Sorry but very hard to believe.
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