Norwegian Authorities Investigate Offshore Worker Death in Crane Incident

Norwegian authorities are investigating the death of a worker who was crushed by a crane on an offshore MPSV last week. The incident occurred on the morning of March 12 at the small port of Hareid, More og Romsdal. The worker was repairing a platform under one of the vessel’s cranes when he was crushed against the railing as the crane started up. An investigation by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority is currently underway, and the agency has not yet released its findings.

Island Offshore CEO Tommy Walaunet stated that details about the course of events should not be discussed until the investigation is concluded. The Seamen’s Church provided support for the rest of the crew after the casualty. The company is cooperating with police and national investigators and has implemented changes to its safety policies regarding working with the crane on deck to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The vessel involved in the incident, Island Ocean, is a 2014-built OSV flagged in Norway and operated by Island Offshore. In 2024, it was chartered by DeepOcean and converted into an MPSV with a 150-tonne crane and two work class ROVs rated to 3,000 meters water depth. The vessel underwent modifications post-conversion to support inspection, maintenance, and repair work for offshore oil and gas and renewables. These modifications included lengthening the vessel by 11 meters and installing a large battery pack for hybrid power operations.

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