friends over the Bermuda Day weekend.

Coroner the Wor. John Judge gave a verdict of accidental death after hearing the facts surrounding the tragic death of Mr. Maurice Bradshaw.

On Sunday May 23 Mr. Bradshaw of Albert Row Sandys, along with three friends Mr. Raje Bean, 19, brother Mr. Sherdon Bradshaw, 20 and cousin Mr. Devrai Bradshaw, 20, had gone fishing about half a mile east of Commissioners Point at about 9.30 a.m. and were preparing to head in before the 1 p.m. accident occurred.

Mr. Devrai Bradshaw said: "The boat was anchored off a reef. Because the ocean was rough, the boat began to take on water so we decided it was time to go back.

"The boat would not start and then a big wave came crashing over the boat causing it to take on more water and go down. We all jumped out and started to swim and the boat sunk down to the reef.'' Mr. Bradshaw added that while in the water Maurice Bradshaw went into shock and said he could not make the swim into shore.

Two of the boys swam off to get help and told the cousin to stay with Maurice.

He told of how he dove down to the sinking boat to get a life jacket for Maurice.

Mr. Bradshaw said: "The waves took us out and I held onto Maurice but I had to let him go because I was getting tired. I told him to keep moving his legs.'' He added that Maurice drifted away from him and when he stood on the front of the boat which was sticking out of the water he could see that Maurice was not doing anything.

He continued: "Then I started feeling tired and unconscious. The other two came back on a boat and asked where Maurice was and I pointed to the direction he was in.

"When we got to him he was coughing up water and foam was coming out of his mouth.'' Mr. Bradshaw added that a few days later he realised that he had a rash and blisters on his body and thought that it was from the gasoline on the boat because the other boys had it as well.

Mr. Raje Bean said it took him and Sherdon almost two hours to get into Dockyard where they found Mr. Donald Knight who radioed Harbour Radio and took them to where the accident had taken place.

"When we found Maurice, his life jacket was slid up to his neck and his face was in the water.

"I tried to revive him and water started coming out of his nose and mouth.'' The autopsy report prepared by Dr. John Winwick said the death was due to sea water drowning possibly hindered by burns from hot engine fuel.

Marine Police Officer P.c. Laurence Dean said that regulations have come into force since the accident which would have demanded more safety equipment on board the boat.

P.c. Dean said there only two life jackets, no bailer, no oars and other safety items were missing.

The Coroner giving a verdict a accidental death said: "Many people believe Bermuda's waters are a pleasure pond but they can be very dangerous.''