Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray

Sandy Hook ship pilot, Captain Timothy M. Murray died following a fall while boarding a tanker arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday. His death is the second pilot fatality in less than a year. Both incidents took place while boarding. In December 2019, Captain Dennis Sherwood was killed in a fall while boarding an inbound containership arriving in the harbor. 

Captain Murray’s recent death has renewed the focus on the arrangement of the boarding ladders and platforms on many merchant ships, specifically the “trapdoor” pilot ladder arrangement. While common, the trapdoor arrangement does not meet IMO standards. The pilot ladder arrangement requires the pilot to pull themselves up while also twisting to ensure proper footing on the platform.

Following Captain Sherwood’s death in December, approximately 1,200 American ship pilots from across the country released a letter to call for an end to “trapdoor” pilot ladders.

Captain Murray is survived by his wife Erin, 5 children (Brennan, Rory, Grace, James, Ella), mother Kathleen and 3 siblings (Jackie, Sean and Kathleen). A GoFundMe has been set up for Captain Murray’s family here.