A Queensland inquest into the deaths of six fishermen on a trawler that sank in rough seas has heard a rogue wave may have rolled the boat.

March 28, 2019

A large wave is likely to have smashed a fishing trawler moments before it capsized off the Queensland coast with the loss of six men, an inquest has heard.

Sea cucumber fishing trawler FV Dianne was motoring north through a 1.5 to 2.5-metre swell in when it rolled and sank on October 16, 2017.

The “quartering seas” from the southeast pushed the boat from “starboard to stern to port-side bow” in 15 to 25-knot winds.

At the inquest in Gladstone, counsel assisting the coroner John Aberdeen told the court it’s probable these weather conditions and the sea overwhelmed the vessel.

“A wave 3.69 metres in height was recorded very close to 7.30pm on this particular evening on the wave measurement buoy nearest in position to the Dianne’s location,” he said.

“It may have been that wave coming from the starboard quarter may have been enough for the vessel to capsize.”

The Dianne was known as “a very stable” boat that had previously worked to six to eight-metre swells in the Bass Strait.

Sole survivor Ruben McDornan told the inquest the skipper Ben Leahy had delayed the Dianne’s departure from Bundaberg harbour due to bad weather.

“There were concerns by Ben Leahy … he arranged for us to leave a day later,” he said.

The vessel began motoring north to fishing grounds near Middle Island about 2.30pm.

Five hours later it had rolled and six crew members were missing.

The inquest also explored whether ropes stowed on the back deck could have fallen in the water and coiled around the propeller further slowing it in the rough seas.

This may have made the Dianne more vulnerable to the rough conditions, Mr Aberdeen said.

The inquest will hear closing submissions on Thursday.