Real Life Incident: Fall Overboard Results In Fatality

A container vessel arrived at berth on a regular short sea run. When unloading, after the container was lifted from the vessel by the dock crane, the twistlocks remained behind in the corner castings, and had to be removed by hand. A deckhand was on the dock to help the shore gangs by releasing and removing the semi-automatic twistlocks from the suspended containers.

During the unloading process, one container could not be lifted from its position on the ship because it was still attached to the container below it. The deckhand on the dock boarded the vessel and climbed up the deck hatch and between two rows of containers via a permanent ladder in order to release the twistlock.

Another deckhand on the dockside saw him use a hand signal to indicate to the crane operator that the container could be lifted. The crane operator again attempted to lift the container in question.

Soon after, a ship’s officer on the bridge saw a person struggling to remain afoat in the water near the ship; the water temperature was near freezing. The officer immediately raised the alarm and then went to the location where the victim was lying in the water to offer assistance. The Master remained on the bridge and noticed the local authorities.

The crew began a rescue operation but by that time the victim had already disappeared below the water. The shore emergency services arrived and a dive team initiated a search alongside and below the ship. Fifty minutes later, one of the divers located the victim underwater, not far from where he was last seen. Once he had been brought to the surface the emergency services started resuscitation efforts.

The victim was quickly transported to hospital by ambulance but, due to a combination of hypothermia and injuries possibly caused by the fall he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

The official report found, among other things, that:

● Due to the absence of any type of fall protection, the victim fell from the hatch into the water.
● The victim was not wearing a lifejacket and shortly after entering the water he was unable to independently remain afoat.

Lessons learned

• This victim is not the first fatality from falling overboard and he will not be the last. Before starting a task ask yourself ‘Could I fall overboard?’
• If the answer is ‘yes’, consider fall protection and lifejackets, among other things.
• Mundane tasks that have always been done a certain way can nonetheless present serious risks that are invisible to the crew. Go about your tasks with new eyes and try and see the hazards before the consequences turn negative.