Samskip-Express

The Ukrainian chief engineer Oleksandr Kondrashyn, who drowned after falling from the 'Samskip Express' in Dublin Port on the night of Jan 11, 20218, died due to ‘safety attitudes’, held by ship leaders, an inquest has heard. The 58-year-old man fell into the water as he attempted to step directly on to the quay from the vessel. He had arrived from Rotterdam near midnight, before he and his ship master socialised with the master of another ship, the 'Elbtrader'. After spending several hours on board the 'Elbtrader', Mr Kondrashyn and his ship master proceeded to return to the Samskip Express shortly before 4.45 a.m., a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard on Nov 22, 2024. A crew member of the 'Elbtrader' was preparing a gangway to allow them to disembark safely. However, both“did not wait and instead proceeded to disembark by climbing over the ship’s side rail. The engineer from Mariupol fell into the water as he attempted to step directly on to the quay from the vessel. Attempts were made by the crew to remove him from the water but they were unable to do so. Emergency services arrived at 5 a.m., before retrieving Mr Kondrashyn who was found face down in the water. Resuscitation attempts were made before he was transferred to the Mater hospital, presenting in full cardiac arrest, while his temperature was recorded below 32 degrees. He was pronounced deceased shortly after 6 a.m. Ian Wallace, chief marine engineer with the Marine Survey Office, who outlined several breaches in safety regulations and legislation, described CCTV footage showing Mr Kondrashyn disappearing “in an instant”. A separate investigation carried out by the Marine Accident and Incident Investigation Committee of Cyprus concluded that the root cause of Mr Kondrashyn’s death was the safety attitude among both ship masters. Mr Kondrashyn and both ship masters boarded and disembarked by climbing the rail rather than using the gangway. It described the practice as a “routine, widespread violation” that was condoned by both masters. The committee referenced inadequate real-time risk assessment and a “faulty evaluation” that led to Mr Kondrashyn’s fall and subsequent drowning. It noted multiple contributory factors including environmental conditions such as the tide, inadequate supervision and a lack of assertiveness by the gangway watchman who, it said, failed to show persistence in ensuring the vessel was boarded and disembarked safely. The committee could not rule out alcohol consumption as a contributing factor in the absence of a toxicology report. A postmortem read out during the inquest noted fluid in Mr Kondrashyn’s lungs alongside a blood-alcohol level of 208mg, with coroner Dr Myra Cullinane noting that one alcoholic drink is roughly 25mg. “That is not scientific but it gives an indication of the amount of alcohol that may have been ingested,” she said. The inquest was adjourned until a later date.

In the morning of Jan 12, 2018, the chief engineer of the "Samskip Express" visited the container ship "Elbtrader" in Dublin. When leaving the ship, he didn’t use the gangway but jumped from the ship onto the quay, but he slipped, fell into water and drowned. An investigation was under way.

The "Samskip Express" suffered engine failure in the afternoon of Dec 18, 2015, three miles south of Porthleven and had to emergency anchor. The ship was en route from Rotterdam to Dublin. After the anchor dragged, the vessel asked for help in rough weather conditions. A RNLI life boat and the Dutch tug "MTS Viscount" (IMO: 7610012) assisted the vessel, trying to get the situation under control. The alarm was first raised on Dec 18 at 2 p.m. when the master of the container ship reported a problem with the vessel's engine and was drifting under anchor off the Cornish coast near Porthleven. It was in a position about three miles off the coast near Mullion suffering with complete engine failure. Am 6 p.m. the volunteer crew of the all-weather lifeboat, "Ivan Ellen", were placed on immediate readiness to launch. Ten crewmen responded to the pager alert and remained on station at Newlyn until the salvage tug "MTS Viscount" was safely alongside and giving assistance to the "Samskip Express". On Dec 19 at 9.39 a.m. the lifeboat crew pagers sounded again, and at 9.44 a.m., in worsening weather conditions, the "Ivan Ellen" and its volunteer crew launched from Newlyn to give assistance to the salvage tug . The tug was about a mile off Newlyn with a rope fouled in its propeller. The sea conditions were rough with a 4m swell, there was a Southerly wind was blowing Force 7-8, with squally showers. The owners of the tug were worried that because of the fouled propeller, and the fact that the vessel had little or no manoeuvrability, getting into Newlyn Harbour would have been very difficult. The owners spoke directly to HM Coastguard at Falmouth and a launch was agreed. The "Ivan Ellen" Went alongside the "MTS Viscount" and towed her safely into Newlyn Harbour. The lifeboat crew returned to Penlee Lifeboat Station and waited for divers to clear the prop on the MTS Viscount. At 11.45 a.m., again at the request of the owners, the "Ivan Ellen" launched from Newlyn and accompanied the "MTS Viscount" back to the "Samskip Express", which was anchored off Porthleven. Due to the strong Southerly wind the vessel had drifted a mile closer to the shore. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 12.40 p.m. and remained on stand-by whilst the crew of the tug attempted to get a tow connected to the "Samskip Express". At the request of the ship's master, the lifeboat went alongside the container ship on two occasions to pick up the messenger rope and convey it to the tug. This was a particularly difficult manoeuvre for the lifeboat and its crew, as both vessels were pitching in the rough sea conditions. Weather conditions on scene were a Southerly gale – Force 8, gusting to 45 knots at times, rough sea with a 4 m swell and heavy squally showers. Eventually a successful tow connection was made and once both vessels were safely underway, the Ivan Ellen steamed back to Newlyn, arriving at 7 p.m. The lifeboat was then made ready for her next service. As of 0600 a.m. on Dec 20, the container ship was moving in southwest direction with five knots speed, escorted by the "MTS Viscount" and the tug "Cannis" (IMO: 8102141). It berthed in Dublin on Dec 20 short before midnight. Report with photos and video: http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Two-shouts-in-quick-succession-for-Penlee-RNLI.aspx