Marine investigators are calling for the wearing of lifejackets to be a legal requirement on commercial trawlers after a spate of deaths at sea. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch took the unusual step of recommending legislation as it released reports into four of the nine commercial fishing deaths so far this year. The MAIB report says a likely scenario is that one of the men became entangled in a rope; the other went to his aid and both fell overboard. By law, lifejackets have to be worn in certain circumstances in Ireland, France, Norway, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Iceland. Many fishermen resist wearing lifejackets because they feel they restrict their movement as they work on deck or are uncomfortable.

Source: The Guardian November 03, 2016 00:01 UTC