Enough already

Sage Sagittarius from Shipspotting.com

I have been writing this blog for many years and can't remember this many deaths aboard ship being in the news. I hope it's because I am paying more attention, I certainly hope it's not a trend, but it's worrying.

The Australian Federal Police briefly placed a ship under crime scene tape in the Port of Newcastle, after the 55 year old Filipino Chief Engineer was carried off the coal bulker, dead, of unexplained causes, September 14. Trouble is, that the ship, the Sage Sagittarius, had another suspicious occurrence - the disappearance of another Filipino crew member, the Chief Cook, two weeks before, on September 2, some 400 mile offshore. The ITF is suspecting foul play in retaliation for complaints of poor conditions aboard the NYK owned bulker; a 105,708 dwt ship built in 2001.

Weaver Arrow in Port Alice, BC

On a different bulker, the Blue Wave, a 36 year old Ukrainian sailor went missing from the Greek owned ship, while sailing off Australia in July.

On September 23, another tragic occurrence, an Australian stevedore was crushed to death on the ship Weaver Arrow, while unloading a 20 ton lift of aluminum at the Port of Newcastle. He was identified as 56 year old Greg Fitzgibbon, and leaves a wife and two children behind.

Be careful out there!