Lifeboat on Volendam
Update: While originally reported that two crew members were knocked overboard during “a lifeboat training exercise,” it is now being reported that the sailors were performing lifeboat maintenance. The commenter (below) reports that both men were wearing safety harnesses which failed. Apparently, the question is not why the sailors were not wearing life jackets but rather why their safety gear failed to prevent their fall.
Original post: A strange and tragic story about a safety drill that turned deadly. Two crew members were knocked overboard during what is described as a “lifeboat training exercise” on the Holland American cruise ship, Volendam, in Lyttelton Harbour, New Zealand, when a lifeboat fall cable snapped. One crew member drowned. Both men were reported to be wearing heavy clothing, overalls and boots but no lifejackets.
This is beyond tragic coming so shortly after the Veendam post. I cannot believe that anyone was in a swung out lifeboat without a lifejacket.
To my Indonesians; Maafkan kecelakaan, apa kabar? Salamat jalan.
To the Carnival Group; please you have got to review your Group’s Safety Programme. NAUTICAL LOG stands ready to assist in any way as an independent reviewer.
Good Watch.
Sadly when there is not information given too many people create stories to fill the gap.
Iw was not a lifeboat drill. The 2 crewmembers were boatmen, responsible for the maintenance of the lifeboats.
They were wearing full body safety harnesses whilst carrying out maintenance on the lifeboat; a thorough investigation will no doubt determine why these did not prevent them from falling to the water.
This was enough of a tragic incident for our close knit family of crew without people who have no knowlege of the facts to start pointing accusatory fingers.
Regards
Holland America Line Crewmember
Thank you for the information. We have updated the post.
I can well appreciate how the HAL Officer feels after such a tragic accident. The NZ Herald did say the crewmember was NOT wearing a lifejacket which I feel he should have had on regardless. One of the nice memories of serving in HAL ships was the professionalism and excellent relationships amongst our Indonesian crew, indeed a family. My Quartermaster Willem was the fourth generation of his family to sail with HAL.
The Carnival Group still needs to review its Safety Programme and our offer still stands.
Salamat jalan. Good Watch.
In either case, the failure in the use of safety equipment resulted in tragedy.
Such a tragic accident. My deepest sympathies and condolences to his family.
I had worked as a dining room steward for 4 years and I know safety is HAL’s top priority.
Best Regards,
Haris Juhaeri
ex-HAL crew member
I was on the subject Volendam cruise. PA announcements by the ship’s Captain were quite vague about the secondary safety devices that supposedly failed. It will be interesting to read the final reports by investigating agencies.
Fellow crew members indeed were quite saddened and the two live theater shows were cancelled that evening. Throughout the remaining days of the voyage, the crew carried out their duties quite professionally. Passengers contributed generously to a fund established for the deceased crewman’s family.
In August of 2009, I was aboard the Holland America Maasdam in rough seas of the English Channel when a medical emergency arose for one of the passengers. A rescue helicopter arrived from England to transport the passenger to a hospital. A gurney was used to evacuate the passenger. As I watched the rescue drama, I observed a Holland America crew that was extraordinarily well trained and worked flawlessly during the emergency. The Captain of the helicopter seemed outstanding as well as winds were very strong.
John C. USA