A disabled man drowned after strapping himself into his motorised wheelchair and driving off a harbour wall, an inquest has been told.
MOMENT BEFORE HIS DEATH
Murdo Macleod Mackenzie, 74, was seen feeding seagulls at Poole Quay in Dorset just moments before he appeared to steer the machine towards the water.
The retired electrical engineer plunged over the edge of the quayside wall and sank 15ft to the bottom in front of shocked bystanders.
The crew of a moored-up pleasure boat used a grapple hook in attempts to save him, as emergency services rushed to the scene on Tuesday last week at about 1.10pm.
They recovered Mr Mackenzie’s body after about 20 minutes and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dorset Police used photographic evidence to identify Mr Mackenzie and notify his family. Officers have said they are not treating the death as suspicious.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was drowning.
