Tender Unloading Accident on Maasdam

[doublebzz]

32 minutes ago, Stratheden said:

Seems very strange that this is only reported on one legal website. 

Agree. It would be expected most of the guests would have become aware of this accident in short order and reported it here or in other media.  Still, the report indicates the woman fell between the tender and ship which could happen if the lines securing the tender to the ship's docking platform come apart or become slack in heavy seas.  

[rkacruiser]

Surely hope that this report is nothing more than a rumor.  But, there are times, in my opinion, when one needs to consider whether getting on/off a tender, or even a ship docked at a port is safe.  Fanning Island comes to mind for tender use.  Arriving at the "pier", the crew of the tender and on the pier had to lift me up onto the pier and then lift me into the tender when leaving because of the swell the tender was experiencing.

 

There was a port in Malaysia where the Statendam docked and the ships gangway with slats for steps had to be used.  The incline was very steep.  So steep, that a guest on a scouter was proceeded down the gangway by an Officer walking backwards holding onto the front of the scouter.  I chose not to disembark due to my concerns for my safety.

[sammiedawg]

2 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Surely hope that this report is nothing more than a rumor.  But, there are times, in my opinion, when one needs to consider whether getting on/off a tender, or even a ship docked at a port is safe.  Fanning Island comes to mind for tender use.  Arriving at the "pier", the crew of the tender and on the pier had to lift me up onto the pier and then lift me into the tender when leaving because of the swell the tender was experiencing.

 

There was a port in Malaysia where the Statendam docked and the ships gangway with slats for steps had to be used.  The incline was very steep.  So steep, that a guest on a scouter was proceeded down the gangway by an Officer walking backwards holding onto the front of the scouter.  I chose not to disembark due to my concerns for my safety.

 

Tendering is often very dicey and I cannot imagine trying to do so in a wheelchair or scooter.  But periodically a scooter or wheelchair user will post a question asking how to do so. 

 

While we live in an era of fake news, I cannot imagine anyone making up a story about a death.  A few times I’ve seen the tender vessel slam into the platform dock and it crossed my mind a body could get wedged in-between. .  

[ricka47]

We were in Havana on the Empress of the Seas this July when a massive storm came up. The storm moved the ship and caused the loading platform to fall into the water.  Half of a family had just passed over the gangplank while the other half stayed behind.  

 

They tried to fish the gangplank out of the water but ended up with a jury-rigged system about 90 minutes later.  We had just returned from a tour and had to wait all that time to go back onboard.  But, it was very fortunate that no one was hurt.

Edited November 11, 2018 by ricka47

[westcoastcruiser]

And we have been at a tender port where passengers were advised on the ship if they have mobility issues it is recommended they stay on board because of difficulty with swells and required steps to exit.  Yet have observed passengers ignoring that advice and relying on crew to almost lift them off the tender and up steps to reach the port.  

[Stratheden]

8 minutes ago, westcoastcruiser said:

And we have been at a tender port where passengers were advised on the ship if they have mobility issues it is recommended they stay on board because of difficulty with swells and required steps to exit.  Yet have observed passengers ignoring that advice and relying on crew to almost lift them off the tender and up steps to reach the port.  

If they get off the ship against advice, they should be made to sign a waiver. 

[whogo]

I hope this turns out to be a hoax, November 7 was a long time ago in this day of immediate news. Not conclusive that nothing happened, but this Cook Island News article mentions the Maasdam's tendering without mentioning a death. 

http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/economy/item/71281-another-day-another-cruise-ship-visit/71281-another-day-another-cruise-ship-visit

The article may have been written before the alleged accident. It is possible that Cook Island News does not publicize anything that would harm tourism, their main industry.

[OCruisers]

15 hours ago, mrmac said:

We are on Maasdam now. Source was a witness to the accident on the same tender. Weather was cool and windy with swells while tendering.

 

Hated this happened!  

Good warning to all for us who are normally OK with tendering to be careful about doing when there are rough seas.  

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, westcoastcruiser said:

And we have been at a tender port where passengers were advised on the ship if they have mobility issues it is recommended they stay on board because of difficulty with swells and required steps to exit.  Yet have observed passengers ignoring that advice and relying on crew to almost lift them off the tender and up steps to reach the port.  

 

Yes, so true.  I have witnessed such warnings.  Regarding my post concerning the tendering issues at Fanning Island, a warning such as that was not issued.  I was totally surprised with the condition at Fanning Island, but surely appreciated that the HAL crew did everything that they could do insure my safe transfers.

 

Nuku Hiva is another port where I would suggest that there ought to be some concern in the transfer from/to tender.  Stone steps from the "landing stage" cut into the wall that leads to solid ground, no hand railing available--at least when I last experienced this port.  Perhaps this tendering situation has improved since my last visit.  Nuku Hiva is an interesting port to experience.

[sppunk]

Calling shenanigans on this. HAL would have to notify US authorities and it’d make immediate news. The Cook Island news and death registrar would have to list it and there is nada too.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, Homosassa said:

The key word in the OP's post is "rumored."

 

No facts, no documentation, and source was an unknown "witness" on the same tender.

 

Of course there is nothing on Cruise Critic or elsewhere. Why is gossip breaking news that immediately needs to be posted? 

I did a google search after I first read this thread, and the only thing relevant that came up was this thread!

[aussiewalker]

mrmac said he was on the Maasdam. So are you calling him a liar?

[OlsSalt]

9 minutes ago, aussiewalker said:

mrmac said he was on the Maasdam. So are you calling him a liar?

 

mrmac told us he was passing on a second hand story told to him. There has been no eye-witness report or any independent corroboration from any other reliable news source.    No one is accusing him of lying since he, like everyone else, does not know exactly what happened.  

 

Trust, but verify is all that is going on here. This is a very serious story. Let's hope we get more facts.

[aussiewalker]

Alright, I didn’t want to comment more out of respect for the victim & family however I disembarked the Maasdam cruise this morning and can assure you that a passenger did pass away in Rarotonga as a result of an accident and it was announced by the Captain. Is that source good enough for you? The “rumour” is the cause of their death not the death itself. It was announced as there were witnesses to the accident and the Captain wanted to quash rumours which were floating around the vessel. 

 

Its all all very easy to be a keyboard warrior. Not everything that happens in this world is immediately reported on the internet. 

 

[OlsSalt]

12 minutes ago, aussiewalker said:

Alright, I didn’t want to comment more out of respect for the victim & family however I disembarked the Maasdam cruise this morning and can assure you that a passenger did pass away in Rarotonga as a result of an accident and it was announced by the Captain. Is that source good enough for you? The “rumour” is the cause of their death not the death itself. It was announced as there were witnesses to the accident and the Captain wanted to quash rumours which were floating around the vessel. 

 

Its all all very easy to be a keyboard warrior. Not everything that happens in this world is immediately reported on the internet. 

 

 

A second hand report about what the captain allegedly reported: 

 

---Passenger passed away

---Result of an accident

---Ship was floating with rumors about the cause of death; not the death itself

 

Thank you.

Edited November 12, 2018 by OlsSalt

[aussiewalker]

I don’t think the Captain is on CC to give you a first hand report. I was there, you were not. I can assure you that my comments are facts not allegations. 

[firecrewcapt]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjZucnC_c3eAhWLK3wKHShuB3MQFjABegQIChAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cruiselawnews.com%2F2018%2F11%2Farticles%2Fmaritime-death%2Ffatal-tender-mishap-holland-america-lines-maasdam-rarotonga%2F&usg=AOvVaw36hndmrya3s3rhiewFr7Y1

[OlsSalt]

12 minutes ago, aussiewalker said:

I don’t think the Captain is on CC to give you a first hand report. I was there, you were not. I can assure you that my comments are facts not allegations. 

 

I summarized the facts you passed on from listening to what the captain reported - do you agree with that summation?

 

Bottom line - we don't know much other than a person died and there was some sort of "accident".  And the ship was riddled with   people passing along rumors. 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by OlsSalt

[aussiewalker]

You don’t know much! I do but I am not going to comment anymore to feed your voyeurist desires. 

[OlsSalt]

14 minutes ago, aussiewalker said:

You don’t know much! I do but I am not going to comment anymore to feed your voyeurist desires. 

 

Goodness!  What ever happened to fair and balanced dialogue these days. 

[bennybear]

Such a sad occurrence, I think most people are genuinely concerned about whether it was due to the tendering.   I believe this port has been the subject of difficulty in the past.  

I am sure there is a lot of shock and anger if this was indeed the case.  My sympathies to all involved.  

 

[mrmac]

1 hour ago, aussiewalker said:

Alright, I didn’t want to comment more out of respect for the victim & family however I disembarked the Maasdam cruise this morning and can assure you that a passenger did pass away in Rarotonga as a result of an accident and it was announced by the Captain. Is that source good enough for you? The “rumour” is the cause of their death not the death itself. It was announced as there were witnesses to the accident and the Captain wanted to quash rumours which were floating around the vessel. 

 

Its all all very easy to be a keyboard warrior. Not everything that happens in this world is immediately reported on the internet. 

 

 

Thank you AussieWalker.

 

I think I’ll go into politics. The trolls are more civilized there.

[broberts]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

 

I summarized the facts you passed on from listening to what the captain reported - do you agree with that summation?

 

Bottom line - we don't know much other than a person died and there was some sort of "accident".  And the ship was riddled with   people passing along rumors. 

 

 

You were present to hear the captain's comments, or are you summarizing the second hand summary of the remarks?

[westcoastcruiser]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Yes, so true.  I have witnessed such warnings.  Regarding my post concerning the tendering issues at Fanning Island, a warning such as that was not issued.  I was totally surprised with the condition at Fanning Island, but surely appreciated that the HAL crew did everything that they could do insure my safe transfers.

 

Nuku Hiva is another port where I would suggest that there ought to be some concern in the transfer from/to tender.  Stone steps from the "landing stage" cut into the wall that leads to solid ground, no hand railing available--at least when I last experienced this port.  Perhaps this tendering situation has improved since my last visit.  Nuku Hiva is an interesting port to experience.

 

Nuku Hiva, ironically, is the port I was referring to with HAL cautioning it may not be appropriate for those with mobility issues.  We saw many disregard the warning which not only endangered themselves and those assisting but also significantly slowed the tender process.  

[OlsSalt]

25 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

You were present to hear the captain's comments, or are you summarizing the second hand summary of the remarks?

 

Third hand hearsay waiting for requested corroboration from the second hand hearsay reporter. Just so this thread does not spin completely out of control.