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Bulker's Master Killed by Parted Line

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Unison Medal (file image courtesy Unison Shipping)

Published Sep 11, 2019 2:05 PM by The Maritime Executive

[Brief] On Tuesday, the master of the bulker Unison Medal was killed when a mooring line parted and struck him. 

The Unison Medal was moored at the port of Ilo, Peru, where she was taking on a load of copper concentrate. One line parted, and the master left his cabin to evaluate the situation. A second parted, striking and killing him, according to local outlet Exitosa. 

Line snapback accidents rank among the deadliest risks for mariners. A study by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) determined a reporting rate of about 20 mooring line accidents per year for Australian seaports alone, including incidents involving injury to personnel. 

The 2015-built Unison Medal is a Hong Kong-flagged handysize bulker operated by a Taiwanese firm. As of Wednesday she remained moored at Ilo, an important hub for exports from the Peruvian copper mining industry.