Chinese Seafarer Falls Off Bulk Carrier At Paradip Port, Search Underway

A 21-year-old Chinese sailor, named Zhang Tai, fell from the bulk carrier MV Lucky Dragon and is feared drowned after falling into the water at India’s Paradip Port on Friday.

The incident took place at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) when Tai and his colleague, Hussain Sharia, aged 25, were trying to untie the vessel from the berth close to the port’s gate number 5.

The bulk carrier, sailing under the flag of Panama, was loaded with 25,000 tonnes of pig iron and had arrived at the terminal last Wednesday. After unloading its cargo, the ship was preparing to depart on Friday morning.

However, while untying the ship’s ladder, the rope snapped and Tai fell into the sea. Sharia jumped to save him, but began to drown. Other crew members managed to pull Sharia from the water, but Tai could not be found.

Hussain Sharia was taken to the port hospital and later to a private hospital for treatment.

The ship’s captain, Wang Shun, informed the port authorities and the operating company, along with nearby ships.

Teams from the Coast Guard, Marine Department of the Port, CISF Personnel and Scuba Divers, along with Local Police, rushed to the scene.

The Rescue Operation began to find the missing sailor who had joined the cargo vessel for the first time.

Officials say that his body might have been swept into deeper waters because of the strong currents. Additionally, he depths of up to 14.5 m at the berths also make recovery challenging.

Paradip Port has an approach channel depth of 18.7 m, and the depth of its entrance channel is also 17.1 m, allowing it to handle large ships.

An investigation has begun to ascertain whether he accidentally fell into the sea or was deliberately pushed. A senior police officer said that they would investigate the incident from all angles.

Port authorities stated that measures would be taken to strengthen safety protocols to avoid such accidents in the future.

Source: Maritime Shipping News