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!