Inquest Rules Off-Duty Ferry Worker’s Death Accidental

An inquest has determined that an off-duty ferry worker passed away after falling into cold water in Jersey. Bernard Jambon, 63, an employee of Manches Isles Express, was pronounced deceased at the General Hospital on 23 July 2023, following his fall into the water between two ferries at Victoria Pier. Presiding coroner Sarah Whitby was informed that the ferry worker, who had consumed the equivalent of 15 units of spirits on the night of his death, disregarded counsel to wait for a gangway. The inquest concluded that Mr. Jambon experienced a cardiac event brought on by water immersion, exacerbated by alcohol intoxication, leading Ms. Whitby to record a verdict of accidental death. Attempts were made by fellow crew members and emergency services to revive him through CPR. Evidence presented at the inquest indicated that his death was immediate. His partner, Anne-Sophie Gouret, who participated via a video link from France, characterized him as a “strong, charismatic and sensitive character who loved the sea”.