PARADIP: A Sri Lankan crew member aboard a vessel suffered grievous injuries after falling from a height of 25-30 feet during cargo operations in the restricted area of Paradip Port on Thursday.
The injured was identified as 44-year-old Asela Asanka Mohana, a Sri Lankan national serving as the chief officer of vessel MV Arola.
Sources said MV Arola arrived from Barbados on Wednesday and was docked at the multipurpose berth of the port for iron ore import. During cargo operations, the chief officer fell from the deck plummeting approximately 25 to 30 feet onto the floor of the ship.
Hearing his screams, other crew members rushed to his aid and immediately alerted the port authorities. Mohana was initially admitted to Paradip Port hospital. He was later shifted to a private hospital in Cuttack after his health deteriorated. A senior port official said condition of the chief officer was stable.
Local workers suspected that inadequate safety measures led to the accident. They said had Mohana used a safety belt, the mishap could have been avoided.
In the recent past, several mishaps involving crew members and workers have been reported during cargo operations, sparking concerns about the safety protocols prevalent at Paradip Port.
In 2024, a Filipino crew member, Quirao Earl Wilhelm Azarcon (26), died after falling from a height of 30 feet while working on a vessel at the port. The same year, contractual worker from Cuttack Bibhuti Barik (28) was suffocated to death aboard MV Thrasyvoulos which was docked at the South Quay for loading pet coke.
In 2023, the chief engineer of MV Al Danah, a vessel from the Russian Federation, was found dead in his cabin when the ship was berthed in the anchorage area of the port.