A Co Tyrone farmer was killed in a farm accident on a farm near Omagh on Tuesday, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has confirmed.

“The HSENI is investigating a fatal incident on a farm in the Omagh area. Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this difficult time,” a HSENI spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The victim has been named locally as 75-year-old Alex McKinley and reports suggest that the incident involved a bull.

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Accidents

The incident is the first fatal farm accident to occur in NI this year. In 2016, there were 16 workplace fatalities in NI, of which seven occurred on farms. This is a similar level to the number of farm fatalities in 2014 and 2015.

Although it is higher than the four farm deaths recorded in 2013, farm fatalities in NI have remained below the 12 deaths recorded in both 2011 and 2012.