INVESTIGATION

CASE 2
Fatal Short-Cut to Using the Gangway
Narrative
A small passenger vessel was alongside a berth
it used regularly on its scheduled service to
an off-lying island. The crew were waiting
for the arrival of provisions and additional
crew members before departure when a shore
worker, whose job was to handle the vessel’s
mooring lines from the quay, boarded via the
vessel’s gangway for a cup of coffee with the
crew.
The vessel was fitted with a shell door on each
side of the main deck and an external belting
that ran most of the length of the hull (Figure
1). When there were no passengers on board,
the shell doors would normally be left open
in port to improve lower deck ventilation.
There were no barriers to guard the resulting
openings.
The berth was close to the harbour entrance,
and after the shore worker had boarded, the
gangway was withdrawn as the vessel was
rolling moderately at
the berth in the swell.
shore worker alone in the main deck saloon.
A few minutes later they heard a cry from the
side of the vessel and looked down to see that
the shore worker was trapped on the belting,
between the vessel’s side and a quayside fender
(Figure 2). He had apparently decided to leave
the vessel through the shell door and walk
along the belting to an area where he would
have been able to step across onto the quay.
The crew went to the man’s assistance but were
unable to recover him back onto the vessel
and they had to lower him into the water. One
of the crew jumped into the water to keep
the man afloat and conscious until a lifeboat
arrived. The lifeboat was quickly on scene
and recovered the man ashore for medical
assistance.
Tragically, despite the best endeavours of the
crew and the emergency services, the shore
worker died in hospital a short time later.
When the crew had
finished their drinks
they returned to
deck to continue
preparations for
departure, leaving the
Handrails
Shell door
Belting
Figure 1: Shell door, ship’s side belting and handrails
6
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2017