by Simon Tulett

stulett@thekmgroup.co.uk

A ship worker has died after becoming trapped in machinery while unloading cargo.

The man, who has not been named, was pulled into a heavy-duty conveyor belt system while on board a ship docked in Northfleet.

He is thought to have been unloading crushed rock, gravel and other aggregates at Red Lion Wharf, off Crete Hall Road, when tragedy struck at about 12.20am on Monday.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.

It is unclear how the man, who is not local, became trapped in the machinery, which was being used to ferry the building industry goods from ship to shore, but the accident is thought to have taken place in the bowels of the vessel.

A spokesman for Gravesend RNLI, which was called to the wharf, albeit too late, said crew members tried to console other workers on board who had seen their colleague die.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), which is responsible for looking into all deaths and injuries in British waters, has launched an inquiry. A police spokesman said the force was not investigating the death.

A spokesman for the Port of London Authority (PLA) said the Antigua and Barbuda registered, and German-owned bulk carrier, named Fitnes , had only been built this year. The 175-metre vessel, capable of carrying up to 31,000 tonnes, had sailed from Norway.

The spokesman added: “There’s an investigation under way being led by the MAIB in dialogue with the PLA. The ship was using its own conveyor-type system and somehow he has been killed by that equipment.”
A post-mortem had not been conducted as the Messenger went to press.