A deputy sheriff of the court fell into the water while trying to board an anchored Liberian bulker Blue Marlin I, on January 27, 2018, four nautical miles from the Port of Port Elizabeth.
The late warrant officer, Henry Kemp, boarded a pilot boat at the Port of Ngqura to deliver the warrant of arrest for the 57,000 dwt Supramax bulker.
Mr. Kemp plun ged from at least 8 meters into the ocean while climbing a steep ladder to execute a warrant of arrest to the master of the ship, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) informed.
The crew of the bulker managed to recover him from the water, however, despite resuscitation efforts, Mr. Kemp was declared deceased.
The reason for the ship’s arrest is unknown, SAMSA said. The ship has been brought into Port Elizabeth.
The South African National Police Service (SAPS) and SAMSA have launched an investigation into the incident.
The Supramax bulker, built in 2008, is owned by UK-based Seacrest Shipping, according to the data from VesselsValue.