Polish seafarer dies after port accident

A Polish seafarer has died of injuries sustained in an accident in Dublin Port last week.

Patrycjusz (Patrick) Zawadowicz, a second officer on the Dublin Viking, died yesterday in the Mater hospital, six days after he was injured as the vessel was about to leave the port.

Mr Zawadowicz's parents last night expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations they had received about the accident.

The 31-year-old married man was injured when he was struck in the leg by a mooring rope.

"Somebody made a mistake while manoeuvring the vessel away from the berth," his father, Stanislaw Zawadowicz, a ship's officer with 30 years' experience, said.

Mr Zawadowicz, his wife and International Transport Federation inspector, Ken Fleming of Siptu, last night visited the Dublin Viking. They spoke with crew members who witnessed the accident.

It was initially thought Mr Zawadowicz would survive after surgeons amputated his leg but he died yesterday afternoon in the presence of his parents.

A second man, who was working onshore at the time, suffered a dislocated shoulder in the accident. Norfolkline, which operates the Dublin-Birkenhead ferry service, and the vessel's manager Marine Meridian Management yesterday expressed regret at the loss of "a much valued and professional seafarer".

The company said it would assist in the repatriation of the man's body to Poland. Mr Zawadowicz's wife is expecting their first child next month.

Mr Fleming criticised Norfolkline for allowing the vessel to leave port after such a serious incident before an investigation had been carried out.

A Norfolkline spokesman defended the company's response to the accident. He said the harbour police visited the ship after being informed of the accident.

They informed gardaí, who contacted the company and decided not to detain the vessel.

The Dublin Viking sailed for Birkenhead at 11.15pm, two hours after the accident, and returned to Dublin at 5pm the following day. Investigators from the Health and Safety Authority and the UK marine investigation board then began investigations.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Authority said that its inspectors had visited the scene of the accident.

Mr Fleming said he would like to see the Irish authorities more involved in the investigation. He also claimed Norfolkline was treating its workers with contempt and said he thought the company "would have had enough bad publicity for one year".

Over the past year, the courts have made substantial awards for arrears due to the crew of two of its vessels.

A company spokesman said it was not correct for the International Transport Federation to blame Norfolkline for these problems. It had leased the vessels from their German owners, who were responsible for their management.