Article

Sandy Hook Pilot Timothy M. Murray lost his life while boarding a ship (08/05/2020)

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 6 August 2020 - 4332 -

Show comment section |

On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.

Already in December last year a Sandy Hook pilot, Capt. Dennis Sherwood was killed in an accident:

Article: Sandy Hook pilot Dennis Sherwood has died after falling during embarking

And now, less than eight months later, another fatal accident. Let's wait for the investigations, but this further death in such a short time raises many questions that need to be investigated and answered.

Prior to the incident, Captain Murray had been piloting vessels in and out of the Port of New York & New Jersey for over 8 years. The incident is being investigated by the United States Coast Guard.

Captain Murray is survived by his wife Erin, 5 children (Brennan, Rory, Grace, James, Ella), mother Kathleen and 3 siblings (Jackie, Sean and Kathleen).

The Marine-Pilots.com team is with the family and loved ones of Captain Timothy M. Murray.
We will be collecting and reporting more facts and figures in the next few hours.

What's your opinion on this?

Opinion A year ago, pilot Capt. Dennis Sherwood died in the line of duty

by Frank Diegel - published on 30 December 2020

It has been exactly one year ago that a pilot from Sandy Hook (New York), Dennis Sherwood, died in the line of duty while attempting to board the container vessel Maersk Kensington.
What has happened since then? Has safety been improved for the pilots?

Article In Memoriam of Captain Dennis R. Sherwood (1955 - 2019)

by Bianca Reineke, lutheran Pastor, Germany - published on 3 January 2020

Ladders are the bridges for crossing the rough seas of our lives.
When you are a Marine Pilot at work, hoping and praying that the ladders which let you embark the vessel are stable, safe and not dangerous.
In Memoriam of the late Captain Dennis Sherwood who passed away on Monday the 30th of December.

Article Request from the American Pilots’ Association to State Pilotage Authorities Regarding Pilot Safety

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 20 February 2020

The American Pilots’ Association has sent a letter to state pilotage authorities across the United States on behalf of approximately 1,200 American ship pilots to improve safety pilot safety following the death of a New York pilot in December.

Video Maryland bans cellphone use by cargo ship pilots

published on 9 January 2023

State regulators on Friday banned cargo ship pilots from using personal cellphones on Maryland waters. The Maryland Board of Pilots, which oversees cargo ship pilots, approved a rule change 10 months after, and in direct response to, the Ever Forward's weekslong grounding in the Chesapeake Bay. Instead of leading the team on the bridge of the Ever Forward, the pilot was on his phone for an hour, texting, sending emails and taking screenshots before running aground and getting stuck for 45...

Article Fall overboard during pilot transfer, Moreton Bay, Queensland, on 2 July 2025

published on 19 September 2025

Occurrence Brief from the ATSB (Australia)

Article Turkish pilot loses his life on duty

published on 5 February 2024

The pilot fell into the sea from the cross at around 04.30 (04.02.2024) in the morning, while being transferred to the Cook Islands-The ppilot flagged 176 m long ship called NEW SIHAM, at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus.

Video Collision with Holtenau high bridge (Video in German)

published on 2 December 2022

Kollision mit Holtenauer Hochbrücke / NDR Schleswig Holstein Magazin 19:30

Article Sandy Hook pilot Dennis Sherwood has died after falling during embarking

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 30 December 2019

A pilot of Sandy Hook, Dennis Sherwood fell off a ladder while boarding a ship today at 4:30 a.m. and died of his serious injury in Staten Island hospital.

Video Pilot Embarkation - Gangway Access - Unsafe Practice at Sea CHIRP Maritime Safety

published on 4 July 2019

The hazards of Pilot boarding
Throughout 2016, the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) held a safety campaign focused upon the standard of pilot ladders and associated equipment. CHIRP supported this campaign and received many reports on the subject.
This first report describes issues concerning pilot access near
the non-parallel ends of a ship, and use of a retractable platform.

Video Stern-First Method for POD Ships –Practical samples starting with Twin screw followed by POD ships

published on 12 August 2022

Practical samples for manoeuvres for ships going astern - as Stern-First-Method SFM. Introduction using as sample from the Master Thesis by Karel Wiegert for an arrival manoeuvre of a cruise vessel in Southampton port with a Twin-screw vessel under strong current. The same manoeuvre with the same ship model was used to show the advantage of Fast Time Simulation FTS using the SAMMON Planning Tool. This goes much faster than the manoeuvres in the real time simulator - and it can even be...