Log Carrier Crewmember Killed in Lashing Accident

On Wednesday morning, a crewmember of the log carrier Coresky OL was killed at the port of Gisborne, New Zealand when a wire rope parted. 

The 50-year-old victim was working on lashing logs aboard the vessel when the wire parted and lashed back, leaving him with serious injuries. He was quickly evacuated to Gisborne Hospital, where he died despite treatment efforts. 

"Maritime New Zealand are at Eastland Port conducting an on-ship investigation, and wharfside operations have been suspended," said Eastland Port, Gisborne's port operator, in a statement Wednesday. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the crewman’s family and his crew mates, who will be deeply affected by this tragedy."

One additional crewmember was injured in the accident, according to Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) chief investigator Captain Tim Burfoot. “The crew were using a ship’s crane to tighten wire ropes on the stack, when a wire rope broke and recoiled, striking a crew member; one crew member died from their injuries and another was injured,” said Capt. Burfoot. TAIC has opened an inquiry into the casualty. 

The 2015-built Coresky OL is a Taiwanese-owned  freighter flagged in Panama. She arrived in Gisborne on March 30 and is due to depart for South Korea on April 5, according to Eastland Port. 

Gisborne is the second-largest log exporting port in New Zealand, and the country's easternmost commercial seaport. It handles about three million tonnes of wood per year and is upgrading its berths for additional capacity.