A 38-year-old Bangladeshi migrant worker is missing after part of a concrete pier at Tuas Keppel Shipyard collapsed. Four others – two Bangladeshis, one Chinese national and one Singaporean – suffered minor injuries and are in stable condition.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that part of the concrete pier that a crane was standing on collapsed, causing the crane to topple onto a vessel that was berthed next to the pier at around 10:40 a.m. yesterday (Aug 22). The incident at 51 Pioneer Sector 1 of Keppel Shipyard caused the crane to be partially submerged underwater.
The 38-year-old Bangladeshi migrant worker who was working on the shore at the time fell into the sea and is still missing. The missing worker is employed by Kumarann Marine. Pte Ltd.
The Ministry of Manpower and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the search was still ongoing.
The other workers, who were injured in the incident, suffered minor injuries and are currently in stable condition. The SCDF took two of them to the National University Hospital.
The Ministry of Manpower is investigating the cause of the accident and has ordered all work to be temporarily suspended.
A Keppel Shipyard spokesperson said: “A section of the quayside gave way causing two workers to fall into the sea and a crane to tilt to the side.”
One of the workers was rescued and is in stable condition, while the other is missing.
The spokesperson added that Keppel Shipyard is working with the SCDF and Police Coast Guard on the search operations.
“Keppel Shipyard values the life and safety of every worker and is working closely with the authorities to conduct thorough investigations. As investigations are ongoing, we are unable to provide further details at this juncture.”
In photos of the incident circulating on social media, the crane can be seen sitting next to a large vessel that was berthed at the shipyard.
In the photos, the crane’s base appears to have buckled, making it fall towards the berthed ship. The crane’s boom – the long fixed arm used to move objects – appears to be damaged as well.
With Monday’s incident, at least two workplace accidents have taken place at the Keppel shipyard in Tuas this year. The latest incident is also the second one to involve the collapse of a large structure.
On March 28, two Bangladeshi workers aged 30 and 42 died after they were thrown off a vessel docked at the shipyard after a structure on top of the vessel collapsed.
The post Worker missing after falling into sea following concrete pier collapse at Keppel Shipyard in Tuas appeared first on The Independent News.