It’s not very often you hear about fatal boating accidents involving docked ships, but last April in Alabama just such an accident claimed the life of a man who was thrown from the docks. According to the news, the fatal accident resulted in a dock worker drowning during a windstorm.
A report from the National Transportation Safety Board states that it was faulty mooring bollards that allowed the Carnival cruise ship to move and break away from a dock. At the time, a windstorm was taking place, and the ship moved, striking two other vessels in the process. According to the news, the accident resulted in around $2.7 million in damages to the ship, the Carnival Triumph, and caused damage to two other vessels docked at BAE Systems shipyard in the amount of $203,000.
Unfortunately, when the ship broke free of the dock, a dock worker was thrown into the sea. The worker drowned. BAE Systems officials have reported that they will be sending more information to the National Transportation Safety Board about the accident that wasn’t previously available. They want the fault mooring bollards listed as a possible cause of the accident.
The Triumph had been docked and was undergoing repairs needed after it had been stranded in the ocean for several days.
Workplace accidents like this one can happen suddenly. If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal workplace accident, you may be able to seek compensation for the loss of companionship, damages and other costs you have to deal with. An attorney may be able to help you determine your right to compensation in your particular case.
Source: Waay TV, “Faulty bollards cited in Alabama shipyard accident” No author given, Feb. 04, 2014
