Jamie Todd Stewart

At 4am on 1 March 1993, Skeagan was anchored 23 nautical miles [42.6 kms] out to sea, west of her home port, Kalbarri. She was a 9.87 metre marine ply wet liner. Aboard were skipper Kenneth [Ken] Charles Neumann (33) and deckhand Jamie Todd Stewart (22). They were sleeping in their bunks. They had caught 100 kgs of fish, mostly pink snapper. It was a dark moonless night, with fine clear weather. Skeagan had a white anchor light on. 

Murion Waters, Colomi ll, Midas Touch and Pelsaert were fishing at Big Bank, enjoying a good cray fishing season. They set out from Kalbarri around 2am or soon after that morning. They cleared the river mouth and set a course to the fishing grounds where their cray pots were. Their path took them past Skeagan, anchored close to their course. 

Murion Waters may have left at 2am from Jakes Point, approximately one and a half nautical miles from Kalbarri jetty where the other boats left from. Her course was slightly different as a result. Skipper McAulley drove for the first 25 miles, and then deckhand Peters started his watch. Neither man saw the other boats, and nothing showed on their radar as they steamed out, other than a vessel that overtook them when Peters was on watch.

Colomi ll left Kalbarri at 2.20am, steaming less than three miles ahead of Pelsaert. The skipper was sleeping, and deckhand Harrison was on watch driving until 4.45am. Harrison stated that at 4.15am Midas Touchpassed them. 

Between 3 and 3.30am deckhand Colin Oxwell was driving Midas Touch on the second watch, approximately 15 miles from Kalbarri. He stated he saw Skeagan’s stern light and another vessel in front of him that showed on his radar. He changed course to port and passed Colomi ll and Pelsaert, then reverted to his original course. Around 10 minutes later he noticed Skeagan’s light to his port side and approximately 200 metres to his south, although being a ply boat she did not show on his radar.

Pelsaert’s master was Bruce Starling (25). Her deckhands were Stephen Mankelow (28) and Neil Atkins (32). Bruce drove for the first 13 miles, clearing the river mouth and then Pelsaert was steaming on autopilot with Stephen on watch. Bruce and Neil were asleep below. Pelsaert was a 23.95 metre fibreglass cray fishing vessel, weighing approximately 105 tonnes. Her licence number was G253, and she had a pot entitlement of 150 A zone cray pots. (With pot reduction rules she could fish with 123 pots).

About 20 minutes after Midas Touch went past her, Pelsaert ran over the top of Skeagan. Skeagan was forced underwater. She did not sink, but was destroyed by the collision. Ken Neumann survived the collision. The wheelhouse was pushed off the hull in the collision and collapsed on top of him, pushing him under water. He was taken aboard Pelsaert. He had fractured ribs, lacerations to his back and exacerbation of a pre-existing back injury. Jamie was not seen.

After sunrise local fishermen salvaged Skeagan. Everything above the deck at the bow of the boat was demolished. Debris was floating around her. Two fish bins had to be emptied into the water. There was still no sign of Jamie. The search for him began.

On 2 March the search for Jamie lasted all day. Despite perfect search conditions, there was no sign of him. Kalbarri Police Officer in Charge Senior Constable Kevin Minchinton conducted a thorough sea and air search, helped by local fishing vessels. Losing hope, a scaled-down search continued the following day with local fishing vessels. Jamie’s body was never found.

Inquest hearings were held at Kalbarri on 15 August and Geraldton on 4 November 1993, with Coroner Michael Wheeler presiding. He found Jamie’s death was an accident. He had died in the collision or drowned immediately after. Coroner Wheeler returned an open finding on the cause of death.

From 26 to 30 July and 2 to 4 August 1999 the Supreme Court held hearings to decide on liability for the accident. It determined there was negligence on the part of Stephen Mankilow for not seeing Skeagan’sanchor light, and for the resulting collision. Supreme Court Judge J Wheeler concluded Stephen had not kept a proper watch. 

Judge Wheeler noted Stephen and Neil had been celebrating Stephen’s birthday, drinking alcohol and had little sleep. Expert marine witnesses were consulted to discuss the lights on both vessels, visibility, whether Pelsaert’s radar would have detected Skeagan, whether Skeagan should have had a crew member on watch, and whether the vessels were operating correctly at the time of the collision. The witnesses presented various views for consideration.

Judge Wheeler concluded Ken had anchored in the path of steaming cray fishing vessels that would come close to Skeagan. While he had appropriate anchor lighting, there was negligence in not having anyone on anchor watch who could have alerted Pelsaert to their position. In 1993 Ken held a coxswain’s licence which entitled him to fish within 15 miles of shore, although Skeagan was licenced to fish within 30 miles of shore.

Ken experienced Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome following the collision. He did not return to commercial fishing that required overnight stays at sea. Pelsaert’s crew remained in the cray fishing industry.