Police Scotland has acknowledged the sentencing of Sunbeam Limited, the owners of a fishing boat, and the boat’s skipper, James Duthie, following the death of crew member William Ironside in 2018. The tragic incident occurred after a gas leak was discovered in one of the vessel’s refrigerated tanks.
On October 9, 2023, at Peterhead Sheriff Court, Sunbeam Limited was fined £220,000, while James Duthie, aged 66, also received a fine. The incident took place when the Sunbeam was stationed in Fraserburgh Harbour in August 2018. William Ironside, aged 52, fell ill on board the vessel and sadly passed away shortly afterward. Four other individuals also fell ill and required hospital treatment at the time.
A thorough investigation was conducted by the Police in collaboration with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. The investigation aimed to understand the circumstances surrounding the gas leak and the subsequent illness and death of Mr. Ironside.
In a statement released by Mr. Ironside’s family, they expressed the ongoing difficulty of coming to terms with the tragedy. They described William as a beloved husband and father, whose memory will forever remain in their hearts.
Detective Inspector Sam Buchan extended his condolences to Mr. Ironside’s family on behalf of the Police. He expressed hope that the sentencing would provide some closure to the grieving family and, importantly, serve as a preventive measure to avoid similar incidents in the future.
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