A Sandy Hook ship pilot has died after falling while boarding a tanker on August 5. The accident follows the fatal fall of another Sandy Hook pilot, Captain Dennis R. Sherwood, in December 2019.
Captain Murray had been piloting vessels in New York and New Jersey for over eight years. His accident has compelled approximately 1,200 American ship pilots around the country to call for an end of dangerous trapdoor pilot ladder arrangements, which are still commonly used despite guidelines against them. The arrangement combines an accommodation ladder and a pilot ladder with a trapdoor. Pilots must pull themselves up while also twisting to ensure that they get the proper footing on the platform.
You can read more about the intricacies and difficulties of being a pilot in this Soundings story.
