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Man dies in fall on ship off Tyneside coast | Man dies in fall on ship off Tyneside coast |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Ukranian seaman has died after falling from a height on a ship stranded for months off the North Tyneside coast. | A Ukranian seaman has died after falling from a height on a ship stranded for months off the North Tyneside coast. |
The accident happened on the Brasschaat bulk carrier, which has been anchored in the North Sea since June after its owner went bust. | The accident happened on the Brasschaat bulk carrier, which has been anchored in the North Sea since June after its owner went bust. |
A coastguard helicopter was called shortly after 2.20pm on Thursday to reports that a person had fallen from a height. | A coastguard helicopter was called shortly after 2.20pm on Thursday to reports that a person had fallen from a height. |
Fellow crew performed CPR in an attempt to save the man’s life before paramedics and a doctor arrived. Northumbria police confirmed on Friday that the 29-year-old man had died. | |
The Brasschaat bulk carrier is one of three ships that have been anchored a mile and a half out to sea near Tynemouth since June. They were owned by a Belgian company, Sobelmar, which hit financial problems last year, and have been managed by an India-based crewing agency, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, since June. | The Brasschaat bulk carrier is one of three ships that have been anchored a mile and a half out to sea near Tynemouth since June. They were owned by a Belgian company, Sobelmar, which hit financial problems last year, and have been managed by an India-based crewing agency, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, since June. |
It is understood that the man, who has not yet been named, had been onboard the Brasschaat since 20 June. | |
A spokesman for Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement said on Friday: “It is with deep regret that we confirm that a crew member serving on board the managed vessel MV Brasschaat suffered a fatal accident yesterday afternoon whilst carrying out his shipboard duties. | A spokesman for Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement said on Friday: “It is with deep regret that we confirm that a crew member serving on board the managed vessel MV Brasschaat suffered a fatal accident yesterday afternoon whilst carrying out his shipboard duties. |
“Next of kin were immediately informed and a full investigation into the cause of the accident is now under way by all the relevant authorities. The deceased individual was a Ukrainian national. No other details are being released at this time.” | “Next of kin were immediately informed and a full investigation into the cause of the accident is now under way by all the relevant authorities. The deceased individual was a Ukrainian national. No other details are being released at this time.” |
Police officers were onboard the 179m-long Brasschaat as it was brought to shore at Northumbrian Quay in North Shields on Friday for investigation. It is understood that the Brasschaat shipmaster is due to give a statement to police about the man’s death. Fifteen seafarers remain onboard the vessel. | Police officers were onboard the 179m-long Brasschaat as it was brought to shore at Northumbrian Quay in North Shields on Friday for investigation. It is understood that the Brasschaat shipmaster is due to give a statement to police about the man’s death. Fifteen seafarers remain onboard the vessel. |
Local residents have previously expressed concerns that the three ships are eyesores blighting the Tynemouth coastline. | Local residents have previously expressed concerns that the three ships are eyesores blighting the Tynemouth coastline. |
One resident of nearby Whitley Bay, quoted by Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle in August, said: “I don’t want our coast to become a kind of dumping ground for container ships.” | One resident of nearby Whitley Bay, quoted by Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle in August, said: “I don’t want our coast to become a kind of dumping ground for container ships.” |
He added: “There are three of them a couple of miles offshore which are sitting high up in the water so it doesn’t look like they have any cargo. I don’t know if they have a skeleton crew but they seem empty and they’ve been there for ages.” | He added: “There are three of them a couple of miles offshore which are sitting high up in the water so it doesn’t look like they have any cargo. I don’t know if they have a skeleton crew but they seem empty and they’ve been there for ages.” |
The Brasschaat was named after its home district in Flanders, while the other stranded ships, Vyritsa and Zarechensk, have Russian names. | The Brasschaat was named after its home district in Flanders, while the other stranded ships, Vyritsa and Zarechensk, have Russian names. |
Sobelmar, whose contracts included fertilisers, grain and coal, shipped between Murmansk in Russia and western Europe and the Baltics. | Sobelmar, whose contracts included fertilisers, grain and coal, shipped between Murmansk in Russia and western Europe and the Baltics. |
The firm was reported to be seeking bankruptcy protection last year after restructuring talks with its German bank broke down. | The firm was reported to be seeking bankruptcy protection last year after restructuring talks with its German bank broke down. |
This year the lender HSH Nordbank was granted control over the four-bulker fleet, according to the shipping news service TradeWinds. | This year the lender HSH Nordbank was granted control over the four-bulker fleet, according to the shipping news service TradeWinds. |
It is thought that the three ships off North Tyneside’s coast had initially been part of Sobelmar’s plans to renovate an ageing fleet. | It is thought that the three ships off North Tyneside’s coast had initially been part of Sobelmar’s plans to renovate an ageing fleet. |
It is not clear how they came to be in the north-east, but Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has an office in Newcastle. | It is not clear how they came to be in the north-east, but Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has an office in Newcastle. |