Werner Schoenhofer: Coroner probes 1997 death of experienced windsurfer in waters off Geraldton’s Point Moore

The death of a German windsurfer off WA’s Mid West coast is being investigated by a coroner after his shark-shredded wetsuit only solved part of the 27-year-old mystery. Werner Schoenhofer had travelled the globe pursuing his sporting passion before holidaying in the State in 1997 to experience its world-class surfing conditions. When the 41-year-old took to the water off Point Moore in Geraldton with one of his three travelling companions Klaus Maier on January 20, the conditions were dangerous with huge swells, but considered ideal by experienced windsurfers. Archival weather data shows wind speeds increasing to 44km/h around the time Mr Shoenhofer went missing. Mr Maier had become separated from Mr Schoenhofer and returned to shore as the evening approached, alerting police and sparking an immediate air and sea search. The next morning, searchers found the father-of-one’s damaged sailboard on Coronation Beach, some nine nautical miles north of Point Moore. A local cray boat skipper then spotted his shredded wetsuit and damaged windsurfing harness in nearby waters. Experts concluded from the angulation of the teeth puncture marks and bite radius that the damage had been caused by a large tiger shark, which are common in the area. The sailboard was found to have a head-high dent in the sail, suggestive of Mr Schoenhofer perhaps being injured or unconscious when he entered the water, according to a report in The West Australian. Media reports also suggested that witnesses had seen him struggling in the wind before he disappeared. His body was never found. “The evidence strongly supports Mr Schoenhofer’s body having been taken by a shark after he entered the water, but it remains open as to how he became detached from his sailboard initially,” officer assisting the coroner, senior constable Craig Robertson told the inquest on Tuesday. “Modern-day enquiries conducted by the Western Australia Police Missing Persons Team using nationwide databases failed to reveal any record of Mr Schoenhofer since his disappearance. “Contact with Mr Schoenhofer’s relatives and friends in Germany confirmed they long ago came to accept that he died while windsurfing on 20 January 1997.” Mr Schoenhofer had more than 20 years’ experience windsurfing and was described as fit and healthy, and not a risk taker.