Fatality during anchor handling operation

A member has reported a fatal incident which occurred during anchor handling operations. The incident occurred on an anchor handling tug (AHT) whilst crew were attempting to disconnect an anchor buoy (weighing 1.4 tons) from its pennant wire shortly after retrieval. The anchor buoy was winched onto the deck of the AHT until the pennant was in the wire stopper used to prevent the buoy from being pulled back towards the stern by sudden tension on the pennant wire. Two crew members were disconnecting a shackle between the pennant wire connected to an anchor on the seabed […]