Date set for inquiry into offshore worker's Covid death

An inquiry into the Covid death of a North Sea offshore worker is set to begin in September.

Donald Singer, 66, from Aberdeen, was a crane operator working on the Ninian Southern platform off Shetland.

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.

A preliminary hearing was told dates had been identified to allow the fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to start at the end of September.

Catriona Dow, for the Crown, said evidence capable of agreement was being finalised.

She said she was seeking witnesses to give evidence surrounding family concerns about the medical treatment and evacuation.

She had told a previous remote hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court that measures at the airport and heliport used by Singer and at the offshore platform would form part of the inquiry.

She said medical treatment offshore and during the transfer to hospital would also be looked at.

Sheriff Christine McCrossan fixed dates for the FAI starting on 23 September, followed by 28-30 September.

There will be a further preliminary hearing in June, when it is hoped it can be clarified if all the dates are expected to be needed.

The 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 at work or in custody.

A discretionary FAI is ordered when the lord advocate - Scotland's senior law officer - concludes that a death raises "serious public concern" and that an inquiry is in the public interest.

Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, previously 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."

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