Warren Jack

Warren Bradley Jack, known as “Jack”, was born in Geraldton on 10 November 1970. His parents seem to have moved to Kenwick, and according to the electoral rolls, they resided in the 70s and 80s. Eventually they separated. Jack had a sister and a half-sister.

Jack was an experienced trawler man. He had worked in waters of the northwest and northern coasts. He had fished for prawns and tuna. At one stage he worked on The Advancer.

Jack was working on a tuna boat for Pinny Pirrottina in Geraldton. At 9.15am on 24 April 2000 the boat pulled up at the fuel berth on the Geraldton wharf. Warren was on the bow, presumably preparing to tie up. The boat jerked as it came to the wharf, and Warren slipped when he jumped over the side of th boat to retrieve a rope. He sustained serious head injuries and was unconscious.

He was rushed to hospital. When he was examined, it was determined he was seriously hurt and should be flown to the Royal Perth Hospital.

Warren was pronounced dead in hospital on 28 April. He died without regaining consciousness. A Worksafe investigation was started, and inspectors came to Geraldton to see the boat and the fuel berth at the wharf.

The local Geraldton newspaper announced Jack’s funeral would be on 5 May at the Fremantle cemetery. At the time of his death, Jack was 29 and single.

In 2004 the State Deputy Coroner found Jack’s death was an accident, although he was under the influence of alcohol. The employing company Radar Holdings appointed consultants to advise on minimising dangerous incidents.

A Geraldton doctor advised the investigation that alcohol and sleeping tablets were found in Jack’s blood test results, however he did not think it would have increased the likelihood of Jack’s accident. It merely “clouded the clinical picture” for doctors after the accident.