Tragedy has struck on a cargo ship anchored in the Houston Ship Channel after a crew member on the vessel fell to his death in the early hours of the morning of June 28th, 2012. The crew member was standing on the deck of the cargo ship when he unexpectedly fell more than 30 feet off the deck into the cargo bay. Members of the rescue team attempted to resuscitate the man at the site of the incident, and he was immediately airlifted to hospital, but resuscitation efforts were in vain and he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The tragic incident occurred at around 12.30am, when the man plunged from the ship deck into the cargo bay. The exact cause of his sudden fall and the circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated. Members of the coast guard that are investigating the incident are still determining what the deceased was doing at the time of the fall. It is thought that he was perhaps loading or unloading the vessel, but without eye witness reports it is difficult for the coast guard officials to have a definite answer.
The assistance of forensic pathologists has been requested, and it is hoped that with their help the circumstances surrounding the incident can be reconstructed.
Unfortunately, offshore accidents such as this one which lead to unnecessary loss of life are all too common. On large vessels such as this cargo ship, there are a multitude of workers including experienced seamen, dock workers and machinery operators, working in close communication with dangerous equipment. These workers are faced with life-threatening hazards as part of their occupation each and every day. The Houston port in which the accident occurred is one of the busiest ports in the country, increasing the risk of exposure to hazards.
Despite how commonly accidents in ship channels such as this one occur, legal matters regarding such accidents are difficult to navigate. There are laws and procedures in place that protect maritime workers in the case of death or injury at sea, however knowledge of maritime and industrial laws is needed to ensure that these laws are correctly instituted. For sea workers who have been injured at sea, or family members of those who have been killed whilst working, the wisest course of action is to hire a specialized offshore injury lawyer who can represent the best interests of the plaintiff and help workers and their families to receive the compensation to which they are entitled.
