Two Bulkers Rerouted to Bermuda After Similar Injuries Aboard

Published Dec 30, 2015 6:53 PM by The Maritime Executive

Local media in Bermuda reported that the bulk carriers Gdynia and Hector were both diverted to Bermuda to transfer injured crewmembers to shore for medical assistance. Each crewmember reportedly had broken legs.

At noon on Christmas Day, the Bahamas-flagged Gdynia contacted Bermudan maritime authorities to report that a crewmember had broken his leg. The Gdynia had been under way from France to Mexico at the time of the incident.

Authorities requested that the Gydnia divert to a position off Bermuda, where the crewmember was transferred to shore at Ordnance Island. He was taken to a hospital late on December 25.

The day after the Gydnia medevac, the Liberia-flagged bulker Hector informed Bermudan authorities that a crewmember had broken both legs in an incident onboard. He also was transferred to shore at Ordnance Island and taken for medical care.

Separately, in November, a man on a single-handed sailboat 200 miles north of Bermuda made a distress call to U.S. Coast Guard authorities, reporting leg bruises and lacerations. American search and rescue assets were far from his position, and the USCG asked the nearby container vessel CMA CGM Corneille to divert to assist him. The Corneille took him to Bermuda and transferred him to shore for medical treatment.

The 40,000 dwt general cargo vessel Gdynia is operated by Polsteam and the 75,000 dwt bulker Hector is operated by Lavinia Bulk Ltd. Both ships were built in 2012.