Great Yarmouth boater drowned when dragged into propeller by rope

A woman who fell overboard from a motor cruiser on the Norfolk Broads drowned after being dragged into the propeller by rope in the water, an inquest heard.

Laura Perry, 38, was on the boat with family in August 2020 when she fell.

Investigator Graham Wilson told Norfolk Coroner's Court that had a guard rail been fitted to the stern, it would have likely prevented the fall.

However, the court heard the boat, which was trying to moor in Great Yarmouth, did comply with regulations.

Area coroner Yvonne Blake described events leading up to the death as "a perfect storm" during a first day of evidence.

The inquest was told Ms Perry, 38, from Bermondsey in London, was on holiday on the 12.8m (41.9ft) Diamond Emblem 1 with her partner, parents, sister, 16-year-old niece and her sons, aged 16, 14 and four.

It heard the dual-helm boat was being driven from the upper deck by Ms Perry's sister.

The boat was said to be approaching Great Yarmouth yacht station, but the occupants were told there was no place to moor.

When Ms Perry's sister tried to reverse, the cruiser went forward "violently", throwing Ms Perry into the water, the inquest heard.

It was told she died of multiple injuries and drowning, and entrapment beneath a boat.

Mr Wilson said a black stop button in the upper deck to cut the engine was available, but its location had not been pointed out in the training briefing.

Asked if the button being pressed sooner would have stopped the boat, Mr Wilson said: "Stopping wouldn't stop the movement of the boat.

"It would have stopped the propeller and would have prevented this death."

The MAIB investigation found that both the boat handover and the documentation provided to the family were insufficient to make sure that the hire party was "competent to drive a boat with dual-helm control".

It said that the handover, which took "about 10 minutes", happened while the group's luggage was being loaded on to the boat and was cursory and incomplete.

The briefing should have been 30 minutes long but the family was 18 minutes late due to delays to their journey.

The inquest heard the boat, operated by Ferry Marina of Horning, did comply with regulations and did not require handrails.

The hearing continues.

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