Report: Ship security guard falls overboard in Piracy area

A vessel was making for an area subject to piracy, and a security team had come on board and were installing razor wire at vulnerable areas on the ship. While underway, the bridge was informed via VHF radio that a member of the security team had fallen overboard. The Master initiated recovery procedures and within 30 minutes the MOB was safely recovered. The victim was in good condition having suffered only minor injuries.

The company investigation found that in an attempt to place the razor wire outside the rails, the MOB victim had extended his body over the rails, lost his balance, and fallen into the sea. The security team members were working alone without supervision from any of the vessel’s crew.

Lessons learned

• Good cooperation, effective communication, and coordination of work activities with onboard subcontractors are important issues to ensure successful and safe operations.
• Experienced crew should always supervise external teams working onboard to ensure compliance and prevent potential unsafe acts.
• Company safety procedures must be effectively communicated and strictly implemented at all times.

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