In the early hours of Monday, a marine pilot suffered serious injuries while boarding a vessel from a pilot boat. At approximately 12:15 AM, the 66-year-old pilot fell about 20 feet back onto the pilot boat while attempting to climb the pilot ladder, resulting in critical injuries.
The injured pilot was quickly evacuated to a hospital in Goes for urgent treatment and later transferred to a facility in Antwerp. The circumstances surrounding the accident are currently under investigation, with reports indicating that the pilot was scheduled to retire next month.
Climbing from a moving pilot boat to a moving ship presents inherent risks, and incidents involving pilot ladders are unfortunately common. SOLAS V Regulation 23 outlines specific requirements for pilot ladder arrangements and equipment; however, many marine pilots have noted that these safety regulations are not consistently adhered to.
