Article

Man dies after falling from pilot boat (Canada)


published on 28 September 2022 863 -

Symbolic image St. John's Harbour - Original article by www.cbc.ca

61-year-old man went overboard from pilot boat meeting vessel coming into port, say police

The RCMP are investigating the death of a man who went overboard outside St. John's harbour from a pilot boat early Tuesday morning.

According to a media release from the RCMP on Tuesday afternoon, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary received a report of a man overboard around 12:30 a.m. NT (9/27/2022).

The RCMP, which has jurisdiction in Canadian territorial waters, has taken over the investigation and is working with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Occupational Health and Safety and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The RCMP released few details Tuesday afternoon, apart from noting the man was 61 years old.

A press release from a Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson said the Maritime Search and Rescue Sub-centre in St. John's sent a coast guard rescue craft and other vessels in the area to the scene, around 3½ kilometres outside the Narrows, and arranged an ambulance.

According to the coast guard, the MV Virginia Ann recovered the man from the water and took him to emergency medical services on shore.

A statement Tuesday afternoon from Canship Ugland, a Canadian ship management company based in Paradise, N.L., said the man was a crew member on one of their boats.

The statement said their boat had finished transferring the pilot to the incoming vessel when the man went into the water. The man was dead when he was pulled from the water.

Canship Ugland president Marco Ahrens said in the statement the company is focused on ensuring the man's family has the support they need.

"We will investigate what happened in co-operation with the authorities. At this time, we will continue to support our employees and the affected family members," said Ahrens in the statement.

The statement says Canship Ugland operates pilot boats for the Atlantic Pilotage Authority in St. John's Harbour.

The authority's CEO, Sean Griffiths, said in the statement that APA is "deeply saddened by the death of a friend and crew member."

"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones," said Griffiths in statement. "The safety of our people remains our priority. We will do everything we can to support the efforts of the authorities as they investigate this incident and want to ensure this never happens again."

The man's cause of death has not been released.

Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
FP
François Pouliot Corporation des Pilotes du Bas Saint-Laurent, Canada
on 10 November 2022, 15:50 UTC

Something must be done to increase safety during transfer operations. Not many other occupations accept this level of risk.
0

Mykyta Kontsevyi Ukraine
on 29 September 2022, 07:27 UTC

Condolences…
0

Read more...

Video Kittiwake Mersey Pilot

published on 22 December 2021

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

0

Video Pilot Leaving Ship Vigo

published on 31 March 2023

0

Video Pilot Transfer - New Zealand (Auckland) & Australia (Melbourne/Fremantle)

published on 21 October 2021

Spotted some Pilot Boats in the Port of Auckland, New Zealand and Melbourne & Fremantle Australia (Port codes: Auckland:NZ AKL ; Melbourne:AU MEL ; Fremantle:AU FRE).

0

Article Helmsman and pilots were operating with different goals

published on 22 April 2025

An ATSB interim report outlines the sequence of events leading to the collision between the container vessel Maersk Shekou and the berthed tall ship STS Leeuwin II in Fremantle on 30 August 2024.

1

Video Grounding of Orient Centaur

published on 15 November 2019

On 6 November 2017, the fully laden, mini cape-size dry bulk carrier Orient Centaur was transiting the South Channel, Weipa, Queensland, outbound under the conduct of harbour pilots as part of a trial introduction of this size of ship to the port. While in the South Channel, the ship’s main engine shut down due to a loss of water from a cracked engine cooling component, and propulsion was lost. Shortly after, the ship grounded on the northern batter of the channel. The stern then slowly...

0

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?

1

Video Man Overboard Rescue Drills. Ride along with the Pacific Pilotage Authority

published on 13 August 2021

Today i tagged along on the pilot boat Pacific Pathfinder and her sister ship the Pacific Chinook to film their annual Man Overboard drills and re certification. It was a pleasure to watch the crews working together to demonstrate how fast they can save a life. Filmed using a DJI Mini 2 If you are interested in purchasing a Mini here is a link to my DJI affiliate program. https://click.dji.com/AFpMBjgnYfRjCViNU2HZ_g?pm=link All video footage is owned by Northcoast Drone and it can be...

0

Article MARS-Report: Paltry PPU position predictor

by The Nautical Insitute - published on 18 August 2023

To monitor the vessel’s progress, the pilot had set up his portable pilotage unit (PPU). He had connected the rate-of-turn generator to the vessel’s pilot plug and had set a variable range marker on the radar with a radius of 0.5 nm.

0

Article An Interview with India’s First female Marine Pilot, Reshma Nilofer

published on 13 March 2023

Marine Pilot, Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi MNI broke the bias and started her career as a trainee pilot in 2011 and she has never looked back.

0

Opinion Pilot transfer arrangements - Sharing knowledge matters – but problems go beyond non-compliance to SOLAS itself

by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 23 September 2020

Like many seafarers I have long been a keen follower of The Nautical Institute’s MARS programme, and along with many other members I listened to the recent webinar on that topic. One theme which was repeated more than once was that it is better to learn from someone else’s misfortune rather than have it happen to you. Having personally been involved in two near misses resulting from unsafe pilot transfer arrangements in a relatively short space of time, I asked how experiences and knowledge specifically about pilot ladder safety could best be promulgated to avoid repeating common accidents or near misses.

1