A father who died trying to save his two sons after they fell from a wharf on the South Coast should be given a posthumous award for his bravery, a coroner has recommended today.
Shane O'Neill dived into dark choppy waters and tried in vain to save his sons, four-year-old Riley and 15-month-old Travis, after the boys fell from the wharf during a fishing trip at Tathra, near Bega, late last year.
Magistrate Chris Bone told the inquest at Bega Local Court today that the 28-year-old butcher had done what every parent hoped they would be able to do.
"I suppose that all of us who are parents hope that if our children fell into danger that we would do everything we could to help them ... but none of us really know what we would do when it came to the crunch," Mr Bone said.
"What we know in this case is Shane O'Neill acted absolutely immediately. He acted without any thought whatsoever for his own welfare and he jumped into the ocean.
"He did everything that we hope as parents we would do in the same circumstances, which many of us would not be able to do for one reason or another."
The short inquest found that Shane Anthony O'Neill, Riley James O'Neill and Travis Anthony O'Neill all drowned at Tathra on November 18, 2008.
The mother of the drowned boys Stacey Lambert, who was due to marry Mr O'Neill in March, was comforted by her parents and a friend in the court.
Mr Bone also praised the effort of fisherman Robert George Brown, a stranger who put his life at risk by jumping into the water after the trio.
"He must have known when he jumped into the water that there was a chance that he wouldn't be coming out," Mr Bone said.
"I think personally what Mr Brown did was a very brave action."
Mr Bone recommended Mr Brown also be considered for a bravery award.
The magistrate also recommended that statements and letters from the police in charge of the investigation, and from Surf Life Saving NSW and Mr O'Neill's parents Linda and Phillip O'Neill, be sent to Bega Valley Shire Council to consider safety measures at the Tathra wharf.
"I do believe that there is the possibility for such a tragedy to recur, and believe that such a tragedy may be avoided if there are more options available to assist anyone who finds themselves in the water off the wharf," Detective Senior Constable Kevin Coady said in a statement to the inquest.
Mr O'Neill's parents recommended a fence be put around the wharf, floating pontoons be attached and more ladders be built around it.
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