A tugboat crewmember is believed to have been killed in an accident on the River Thames in the UK.
The tugboat had been towing a barge with a crane on it, when it suddenly capsized. The Port of London Authority, the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency aided by police and fire personnel launched a major rescue effort. Two of the crew members were rescued. However, after about four hours, the operation had to be called off. Efforts to locate the third crew member were unsuccessful.
The vessel sank just off Greenwich Pier in South London. The Port of London Authority is currently engaged in operations to raise the sunken tugboat. Officials have launched an investigation into the tragedy.
This was the second serious maritime accident on the River Thames in just a few days. A nineteen-year-old crew member on a ferry was killed last week when he fell off the boat, and landed under the propeller. The accident occurred while the mooring ropes were being tight. The Port of London Authority has begun an investigation into the tragedy. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has already initiated its own investigation into that tragedy.
As maritime lawyers, we find that an overwhelming majority of maritime injuries and deaths are entirely preventable. In many of these incidents, we find that employers and vessel owners failed to take necessary precautions to prevent accidents and injuries. In other incidents, workers were not properly trained to avoid hazards.
