The widow and mother of two men lost at sea in a tragic fishing accident has urged the authorities to make the wearing of lifejackets on fishing vessels compulsory.

Father and son Gareth and Daniel Willington, of Cresselly, lost their lives while laying lobster pots from their boat, the Harvester, on Thursday, April 28.

Pembrokeshire Coroner, Mark Layton, heard that 59-year-old Gareth Willington “had a keen interest in the sea from a young age and a passion for fishing”.

He had invested in a fishing boat with a friend, they spent ten years working together before he went into business with his son eight years ago.

“He was an experienced fisherman as was his son,” said Coroner’s Officer, Jeremy Davies.

He told the inquest that at 2.30am on April 28 the two men had left Milford Haven Docks in the Harvester to check their pots and re-set bait. There had been a “weather window” and conditions were good.

Twelve hours later coastguards were called to reports of a fishing boat in difficulty in the Abereiddy area.

After an extensive search Gareth was found 3.5kms from where the Harvester was first sighted. He was taken to Withybush Hospital but attempts to save him were not successful. His son Daniel, 32, has never been found.

A post mortem concluded that Gareth Willington had died of asphyxia due to drowning. The Chief Coroner had requested that an inquest was carried out for Daniel.

Coroner, Mark Layton, recorded conclusion of accidental death for Daniel and death by misadventure for Gareth who, he said, died as a result of a human act, that of trying to help his son, which had gone wrong.

The coroner’s officer read out extracts from a Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) report which said that it was not possible to determine the exact sequence of events that lead to the Harverster grounding.

However it said it was likely that Daniel became entangled in the back rope while laying lobster pots, his father Gareth had come to his assistance and both men had gone overboard. There was evidence to suggest that the back rope had been cut in an attempt to free one or both of the men.

The report went on to say that it seemed that neither crew member was wearing a lifejacket. In its report he MAIB called for the introduction of legislation making it compulsory to wear lifejackets on board commercial vessels.

This was reinforced by Gail Willington, Gareth’s widow and Daniel’s mother.

“It should be made compulsory,” she said. “Nobody should go through what we have gone through. Nobody wanted to wear a seatbelt in a car before it was law.”

She added that she had contacted the MAIB and MP Simon Hart about this matter.

Coroner Mark Layton added: “There were numerous reasons why, in the past, that fishermen wouldn’t wear floatation devices. But they are much better designed now not to get in the way of working practices.”

He said that he would use his powers under regulation 28 of the Coroner’s Act to write a report to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency recommending that legislation be introduced making it mandatory to wear a lifejacket on deck.

The report would also be sent to the chief coroner and the widows of both men.

“It’s not something that will conclude today,” he said. “There is an obligation to respond within 56 days to explain what action the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are taking in response to the very sad deaths of Gareth and Daniel Willington.”

“Both men were well known locally and their death has shocked the local community,” he said before offering his condolences to the family.