A marine pilot died after suffering a heart attack, falling from a pilot ladder and being partially submerged in freezing water for more than 40 minutes due to equipment failure, an investigation has found.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the death of 67-year-old pilot Francesco Galia in 2023 was ‘very probably’ triggered by a sudden medical event, compounded by failures in emergency recovery capability and prior medical assessment.