Offshore worker’s death to be focus of inquiry

The Covid death of a North Sea offshore worker is to be the focus of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI), it has been announced.

Donald Singer, 66, from Aberdeen, was a crane operator working on the Ninian Southern platform. He was airlifted by helicopter on 3 April 2020 with deteriorating Covid symptoms, and died a month later on 4 May at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said it would be the first discretionary inquiry into a Covid death.

There have been two mandatory FAI completed into the deaths of four men from Covid in custody, and a further five inquiries are ongoing into the deaths of eight men.

The Ninian Southern installation is 75 miles (120km) east of Shetland.

COPFS said it had undertaken to investigate more than 6,000 Covid-related deaths.

An FAI is mandatory if a person died in Scotland as a result of an accident in the course of the person’s employment or if a person was in custody.

A discretionary FAI is ordered when the Lord Advocate concludes that a death raises “serious public concern” and that an inquiry is in the public interest.

The first discretionary FAI has now commenced with the lodging of a first notice into the death of Mr Singer.

A preliminary hearing will be held on 12 December at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: “Thousands of families lost loved ones during the pandemic, and we undertook the single most significant and challenging investigation of deaths in Scottish history.

“We remain committed to thorough, professional and independent investigations into every reported death, providing bereaved families with answers and supporting public understanding of the pandemic’s impact.

“As the first discretionary FAI, this is a milestone as we work to establish a better understanding of these deaths and inform decisions made in the future.”