A NEWPORT man, who went missing after going out on his fishing boat on the River Usk, died from drowning, an inquest heard yesterday.

The Argus reported how Basil Oliver went missing from his boat on July 25.

Mr Oliver had a fishing boat, Wave Dancer, which was moored in the Caerleon area of the River Usk.

An inquest at Gwent coroner’s court yesterday heard how Mr Oliver, 82, went to his boat as usual on July 25 just to “potter around on it”.

He drove to St Julians pub and would row over to his boat in a dinghy.

But concerns were raised when Mr Oliver’s car was still seen in the car park the following day and his mobile phone was found on his boat. Mr Oliver was reported missing on July 26.

A search involved helicopters, divers, police officers, the Severn Area Rescue Association, and members of St Julians boat club.

The dinghy and one oar were also found further down the river.

His body was found further down stream on August 7 by a patrolling private security guard.

Mr Oliver, who had a heart attack some years ago, spent most of his working life in the Merchant Marines and was living alone in Newport at the time of his death, the Newport hearing was told.

His son-in-law Guy James Willett agreed that Mr Oliver “couldn’t get the salt out of his veins”.

He said the pensioner spent most of his time at his and wife Kim’s house or on his fishing boat.

A pathologist concluded Mr Oliver died as a result of drowning.

But he said that from looking at Mr Oliver’s cardiovascular system, it was possible Mr Oliver experienced an acute cardiac event which would account for him falling into the river.

Gwent coroner David Bowen said it was probable that Mr Oliver was stepping back to get into the dinghy when he experienced some form of cardiac event, which was not necessarily a heart attack.

He said this would have been sufficient to make him lose balance and fall into the river where he drowned.

Mr Bowen said there was no third party involvement. He recorded a verdict of death by drowning.