On March 30, Imabari Shipbuilding, a major Japanese shipbuilder, issued an accident report on its official website: During operations to lift ship components using a crane, the lifting beams detached and struck an employee of a subcontractor, identified as Mr. A, resulting in his tragic death.
According to Japanese media reports, Mr. A is a 35-year-old male worker of Chinese nationality.
According to information disclosed by Imabari Shipbuilding, this major safety incident occurred in the hull assembly area north of Plant 1 at Imabari Shipbuilding’s Marugame Works. At approximately 10:40 a.m. on March 28, an employee identified as Mr. A was operating a ground-controlled crane to lift a steel block measuring 12 meters long, 1.8 meters wide, and 26 mm thick, weighing approximately 6.6 tons.
The ship component was originally being lifted by two lifting devices (lifting beams), but during the movement, one of the lifting beams fell off for unknown reasons. With only one lifting beams remaining, the ship component lost its balance and struck Mr. A, who was operating the crane, resulting in a major accident.
Following the incident, Imabari Shipbuilding’s Marugame Plant immediately notified the relevant authorities. Upon arriving at the scene, emergency responders confirmed that Mr. A had died at the scene. It is believed that at the time of the incident, Mr. A was working alone outdoors on the factory premises.
The relevant authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident. Imabari Shipbuilding has stated that it will fully cooperate with the investigation, take the seriousness of this incident very seriously, and is committed to preventing such accidents from occurring again.
In a statement, Imabari Shipbuilding said: “We sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased and extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to their families. We also offer our sincere apologies for the considerable concern and distress caused to all those affected.”