A former commodore of Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club drowned when he slipped and fell into the river Liffey while attempting to board a boat at the club’s marina following a night of socialising, an inquest has heard.
John Wedick (78), late of Camolin, Co Wexford, was celebrating the yacht club’s 50th anniversary at its clubhouse in Ringsend on November 18th, 2023 in the hours before he drowned. The following morning, his body was discovered floating in the water close to the marina.
The deceased’s son, John Wedick jnr, told a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Tuesday that his father was in good health at the time of his death, and was looking forward to the anniversary celebrations. He told the court that Mr Wedick, a long-time member of the club who grew up locally, knew the area well.
Following the celebration, Mr Wedick was due to sleep on his son’s boat, which was moored at the marina behind the clubhouse, Mr Wedick jnrr told the court. He said that his understanding was that, a short time after he left the function between approximately 12.30am and 1am, Mr Wedick slipped while attempting to board the boat.
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Garda Paul Fay, attached to Donnybrook Garda station, said that he had reviewed CCTV footage capturing the moments before Mr Wedick entered the water.
He said that the CCTV showed Mr Wedick leaving the function and walking to the rear of the clubhouse where the marina was located. Mr Wedick could be seen walking the marina’s pontoon towards his son’s boat, the garda said.
He said that the footage then became grainy, and that Mr Wedick’s fall was not visible, but that later, his body can be seen in the water.
Garda Fay said that Mr Wedick did not look unsteady on his feet in the footage. A pathologist later reported mild alcohol intoxication in Mr Wedick’s blood, the court heard, with coroner Dr Clare Keane noting the level of intoxication to be “certainly not at the high end”.
Garda Fay added that the boats on the marina were “all lined up beside each other”, and that weather conditions were dry that night. There were no other individuals with him when he fell, the garda said.
The court heard that Mr Wedick was “dressed smartly” at the time – the anniversary celebration was black tie – and that he was not wearing sailing shoes normally used on the pontoon.
“It just looks like it was a tragic accident,” the garda said.
The alarm was raised after 8am that morning when Mr Wedick’s body was spotted floating in the water at the marina, the court heard. Gardaí and Dublin Fire Brigade responded to the incident and later recovered the body.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Keane expressed her sympathies to Mr Wedick’s family, noting that his death was unexpected and “out of the blue”.
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