A 65-year-old farmer has died after he was crushed by a tractor after it rolled over him yesterday morning, May 2, in Co. Kerry.

The farm accident happened in Ballylongford in north county Kerry around 9.50am, a Garda spokesperson confirmed to Agriland.

The Gardai and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) are investigating the farm death. This is the fourth farming-related fatality in Ireland this year and the third in which a male in his 60s has died due to a machinery-related accident.

Earlier this year a man in his 60s died in Co. Kilkenny when a loader fell on him and last month another farmer in his 60s in Cavan died in an accident involving a tractor.

Machinery is associated with 17% of farm deaths, according to Teagasc and between 2005 and 2014, 58 people were killed due to accidents with tractors and farm vehicles.

According to Health and Safety Authority (HSA) figures, 73% of these deaths were caused by crushing.

Some 12% of fatalities were caused by the vehicle overturning, 10% were struck by the vehicle and 5% of fatalities were due to falls from the vehicle.

The main causes are being crushed by a part, entangled in the PTO shaft and other machine parts and being stuck in machinery.