A coroner has determined that a Mosgiel man who fell into the freezing waters of Otago Harbour and drowned had a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit.
On July 19, 2022, a sailor in Deborah Bay found 68-year-old Murray James Double floating in the water near his yacht Greek.
Emergency services were called to the scene and found the man dead.
His death led to an investigation and a ruling by coroner Andrew Schirnack.
A pathologist who performed the autopsy on Mr Double reported that fluid was found in his lungs and stomach, indicating that he had drowned. The coroner accepted this.
They also noted that significant blood alcohol levels could cause Mr. Double to become unstable and more likely to fall.
A blood sample taken during Mr Double's autopsy showed 230mg of alcohol per 100ml in his blood, more than four times the legal limit of 50mg per 100ml.
Mr Double's wife said her husband had not eaten breakfast that morning and had not taken his medication.
At 12:31 p.m., she received a text message from her husband saying he was in Deborah Bay, where his boat was moored.
The text stated that the boat was “still afloat.”
She later found a note he had left on the kitchen counter, saying his boat might have been damaged by the high winds and that he was going to take a look.
At 1:09 p.m., his wife received a second text message, which read, “My phone is acting weird, but everything is fine here right now.”
That was his last contact with his wife.
At approximately 5:15 p.m., a sailor who knew Mr. Double noticed that the gate to the pontoon in Deborah Bay was open.
As he walked further, he saw Mr. Dubbel lying face up in the water, next to his boat.
He immediately called emergency services.
The sailor noticed that there was a broom on the jetty and that the light drizzle had made the jetty and Mr. Double's fiberglass boat quite slippery.
Mr Double was found fully clothed, with his wallet, phone and car keys in his pockets.
When police arrived, they found it difficult to board Mr. Double's boat. The boat was narrow and the railings were wet and slippery. They were also unable to retrieve any data from his soaked phone.
The coroner said he was “satisfied by a large margin that Mr Double fell into the water next to his boat accidentally”.
“But short of the certainty that Mr. Double fell into the water accidentally, I cannot draw any reliable conclusions.
“It could be that he fell while cleaning with the broom due to the slippery conditions, or that alcohol intoxication made him less steady when maneuvering around the dock and boat, or that his eyesight impaired his physical judgment, leading to a fall.”
He also noted that the fact that Mr. Double had not eaten breakfast and had not taken his morning medications may have made him unstable. It may also have been a combination of these factors.
“Regardless, this unfortunate fall had a tragic outcome for Mr. Double and those he leaves behind.”