Nicholas Banfield had moored his yacht at a secluded beach to enjoy dinner and a drink with his girlfriend in what ‘should have been the start of a beautiful weekend’.
But when friends and police officers boarded the boat at Balmoral, Sydney, some two days later the talented young sailor was dead and his girlfriend was seriously ill.
A coronial inquest found the 23-year-old had died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning after a stove was turned on in his sealed yacht cabin for warmth.
Nicholas Banfield, 23, died from carbon monoxide poisoning last year after turning on a gas stove in the sealed cabin of his yacht to stay warm
Mr Bainfield had moored the yacht (left) at Sydney’s beautiful Balmoral beach and had planned a romantic weekend with his girlfriend. She gained consciousness two days later and survived the poisoning against all odds, a coronial inquest found
‘Nicholas Banfield was an intelligent and careful sailor with many years of experience,’ deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame said in her written findings.
‘That such a tragedy can befall him, in itself calls for a re-thinking of the regulation in this environment.’
Ms Grahame said it was difficult to know exactly what happened after Mr Banfield and his girlfriend ate nachos and shared an alcohol drink on the Friday night.
All the girlfriend remembers is her heart racing and feeling sick and confused.
It wasn’t until Sunday that the woman, who hasn’t been named, gained enough consciousness to make a call to her mother for help.
Police responded quickly but Mr Banfield had already died.
Ms Grahame said it was ‘very difficult to know how (his girlfriend) survived’.
‘Nicholas Banfield (pictured) was an intelligent and careful sailor with many years of experience,’ deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame said
The coroner on Monday recommended the NSW government urgently consider mandating carbon monoxide alarms in boats and recreational vehicles with sealable cabins.
She also recommended Transport for NSW form a working party to consider ways of educating the community about carbon monoxide poisoning, which is believed to be more common than reported.
‘It became clear during the course of the inquest that the potential danger of carbon monoxide poisoning is somewhat unknown or under-estimated in the recreational boating field,’ Ms Grahame said.
Even a detective involved in the investigation was largely unaware of the dangers despite being attached to the Police Marine Area Command and a recreational boat owner.
Ms Grahame said Mr Banfield himself was well aware of safety standards in the boating industry and wasn’t known to take risks.
The coroner expressed her sympathy for his parents and said she hoped the tragedy of Mr Banfield’s death would lead to legislative change.
The boat was found moored off Balmoral Beach (pictured), a secluded bay in Mosman, Sydney