202126 Pilot Ladder Failure

Pilot ladder failure

A vessel had been discharged and was ready to depart. A pilot had been ordered and had arrived via a small boat, boarding the vessel from the sea side. As the pilot stepped from the last rung of the pilot ladder onto the deck, one of the side ropes suddenly broke. Luckily, due to the fact the pilot had his weight and leg on the main deck, he did not fall.

Lessons learned

Pilot ladder defects are, unfortunately, a fairly common problem even today. The lives of persons using such ladders depend on a reliable, safe equipment. Ladders should be scrupulously inspected at regular intervals and any hint of defect corrected or the ladder taken out of service.