An “energetic and fun loving” Cornish man who travelled the world as crew on superyachts took his own life in the USA after years of struggling with depression.

Ship’s bosun Clive Baker sent an email to his mother and his sisters headed ‘I’m sorry’ explaining why he had taken his own life at the Savannah Yacht Centre in Savannah, Georgia in November last year.

An inquest in Truro today heard that 45-year-old Clive was born in Newlyn in 1977 and grew up in Penzance. His last registered UK address was in Marazion.

In a statement read out at the inquest by assistant coroner Emma Hillson, Clive’s mother Mary Baker said her son was ‘energetic and fun loving’ man who loved his family.

She said he was ‘sport orientated’ and was ‘thoughtful and respectful’.

She said his father was absent by choice and she had not realised how badly this had affected her son until she read his email.

His grandfather had taken over as his father figure and his grandfather’s death had also badly affected him.

She said before her son died she had gone to the US in September 2022 to spend time with him and had treasured happy memories of their time together.

In his email sent on the morning of his death on November 21, 2022, Clive said he had struggled with depression for long time and had tried to take his own life in 2005 but had never told anybody.

He said giving up alcohol had had a “major impact” on his life.

His GP practice said in a statement that it had recorded that he reported suffering from depression in 1995 but he had never been treated or prescribed any drugs for it and he had not been seen by the surgery for years.

His body was repatriated to the UK on December 6, 2022.

Mary Baker said her son had loved sport when growing up and played football for Penzance and went to Camborne College before joining the Light Infantry.

He served two tours of Northern Ireland for which he was awarded medals and she described him as a "respected and thoughtful" soldier.

He left the army in 2002 and joined the maritime world gaining his master’s degree before travelling the world working on superyachts.

She said he did not marry or have a family but was very much a family man and was godfather to three children and was “generous and loving”.

She said in October 22 he decided to leave his then position on a yacht as he was not happy with the new captain’s treatment of the crew.

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He came back to Penzance and lived there a few weeks but it wasn’t long before he got a job with another yacht and he appeared happy.

However it was then announced by the captain that the yacht would be in dock in Savannah for three months which he was not used to.

She said she usually spoke to him every Sunday but on November 20 he did not call, and she put it down to his new job. The next morning she received the email.

Clive’s body was then found in a part of the docks undergoing construction.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Emma Hillson said Mr Baker had intended to take his own life and offered her sympathies to the family for this “very tragic” incident.

If you need to talk to someone for any other reason, there are people to reach out to:

Shout: Shout is a free, confidential, anonymous service for anyone in the UK. It won’t appear on your phone bill. To start a conversation, text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258.

Samaritans: Call day or night for free on 116 123. 

Mind: Get short and longer term support in a mental health crisis by visiting www.mind.org.uk 

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