Family of man who fell overboard from ferry to get #252,000

The family of a man who drowned after falling overboard from a ferry in the Irish Sea will receive £252,939

The family of a man who drowned after falling overboard from a ferry in the Irish Sea will receive £252,939.26 in compensation, London's High Court has been told.

Michael Davis (35), Melrose Avenue, Yate, Bristol, died in October 2000 during a crossing from Rosslare to Fishguard. He was travelling with his wife and two young children.

At the High Court in March this year, a judge held that the captain of the ferry - David Rhys Parry Williams - had attempted an "ad-hoc, ill-prepared and not well-thought-out" rescue plan.

Mr Justice Forbes said that had Capt Williams's bosses at Stena Line Ltd learned from other disasters at sea, Mr Davis would probably have survived.

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A nearby vessel, Celtic King, should have been alerted to Mr Davis's plight, said the judge, who criticised Capt Williams's plan to open a door in the ferry's hull and throw out a lifeline.

The judge found Stena Line Ltd responsible for Mr Davis's death, and the case was adjourned so the damages his family would receive could be assessed. Yesterday it was confirmed to Mr Justice Forbes that the sum would be £252,939.26.

About £12,000 each will go to Mr Davis's two children, Jim (11) and Katie (9), while his wife, Marion, will receive the rest.

Mr Davis fell overboard at about 11.40am when he was on the Koningen Beatrix as he and his family travelled to Nottingham to spend the school holidays with his mother-in-law.

Mr Justice Forbes said Mr Davis, an engineer who was doing well at work and free of financial worries, was "in good spirits" and had "no reason to commit suicide". Once over the side, he did everything he possibly could to survive in difficult conditions.

The sea was too rough to launch the ferry's own rescue boat, and the judge said Capt Williams made a "calculated decision" to press ahead with his own rescue plan without requesting assistance from the Celtic King.