Superyacht chef dies after falling into French Riviera harbour on night out

A superyacht’s head chef tragically drowned after a night out drinking with crewmates, a coroner has found.

Flinn Sessions, of Wimborne, Dorset, had been working on Atlantico for two months when he died. An inquest in Bournemouth heard the yacht docked at La Ciotat, near Marseille, France, on June 9, 2023.

Mr. Sessions had visited many bars with his colleagues as well as workers on other boats.

The 22-year-old actor was seen drinking a lot of beer and alcoholic beverages.

Judge Brendan Allen told the hearing that at one point the friends asked the waiter not to serve them any more drinks, and the waiter knocked some glasses off the table.

Mr Allen added that CCTV footage from the early morning hours showed Mr Sessions, who was alone at the time, leaning against a quayside barrier.

Later, the person who fell into the water was seen swimming towards the back of the yacht.

Mr. Allen said Mr. Sessions was found dead in the water in the morning, and autopsy examinations conducted in France and the United Kingdom determined that he died by drowning.

Mr. Allen noted the conclusion that Mr. Sessions’ death was accidental.

“He had consumed a significant amount of alcohol while socializing with friends and colleagues,” Mr Allen said.

“While returning to Atlantico on the morning of June 9, he fell off the edge of the quay into the water and unfortunately drowned.

“Given the fact that the CCTV clearly showed that Flinn was alone when he fell from the quayside, he was not suffering from any health problems and this was clearly not something he intended for it to happen, Flinn died as a result of an accident so that will be the conclusion I will record.”