Container crane boom collapses onto Maersk Karachi, one missing. Very sadly here is an update R.I.P

Photo: Krijn Hamelink

Rescue and salvage works are ongoing in the container terminal in Bremerhaven following an accident involvingMaersk Karachi.

Yesterday night, the boom of a container crane broke and crashed onto Maersk Karachi while the vessel was being loaded. A man, most likely the crane operator whose cabin crashed down from a 40-metre height, ismissing.

The ship traffic around the accident site has been suspended. The cause of the accident has yet to be determined.

The damaged container bridge in Bremerhaven, Image: Radio Bremen

The boom of container crane crashed onto boxship Maersk Karachi during loading operation at night May 14 in container terminal in Bremerhaven. One person is missing, supposedly crane operator, whose cabin crashed down to the vessel from 40 meters height. Rescue and salvage are under way.
Container ship Maersk Karachi, IMO 9162215, dwt 88669, capacity 6690 TEU, built 1998, flag HK, manager MAERSK CO LTD.

Salvaged crane operators after hours dead

A crane operator has been plunged into his gondola during loading at the container terminal in Bremerhaven around 50 meters in depth and killed. The ton crane boom with the cabin had fallen to the bottom of the ship early Thursday morning, said Uwe Mikloweit by police Bremerhaven. The damage is potentially in the millions.

Kinked arm of a container bridge in Bremerhaven [Source: Police Bremerhaven]

Source: Police Bremerhaven

One part of the boom, including crane gondola stopped and fell on the ship.

It is still unclear what has been damaged when the crane crashed to the cabin to the bottom of the hold of the "Maersk Karachi". Expected for several days no large container ships can moor at the quay in Bremerhaven. The accident occurred early Thursday morning.

Rescue work continued for many hours

Against 00:45 clock the rescuers were alerted. However, on the 52-year-old crane operator helpers came up until hours later. The man lay on the floor of the container ship, around him wedged debris. All morning the forces needed to secure the crash site, only then they could recover the body. The members of the 52-year-olds are cared for by a crisis management team and a Notfallseelsorger.

"It is important to first establish what damage has been done," said Mikloweit. It must be backed up everything. Tractor would "Maersk Karachi" stabilize. "It will still take some time to complete." Even the container bridge was keyed to the ship. It was not clear whether a part of the bridge fell into the river Weser. A sounding ship should investigate this. In addition, a floating crane was requested. "It is unclear how such a thing could happen."

Ship traffic was temporarily suspended

With the cleanup and root cause analysis can be initiated only when everything is backed up. Around the crash site, the Weser has been banned as a waterway for the transport. Must first create any major container ships, so there is no danger of waves on the quay. On the whole nearly five-kilometer quay 14 large container ships can moor.

Bremerhaven is the fourth largest container port in Europe. Last year there nearly 5.8 million standard containers (TEU) were handled. In the area of ​​NTB-terrain a ship was a year ago collides with the delivery of a container bridge and had damaged three bridges.

The container bridge in the area of ​​the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB) is unstable and could still fall in on itself. Structural engineer check now how the debris can best be salvaged.