SINGAPORE — A 44-year-old male driver died on Tuesday morning (31 Jan) after his prime mover fell into the sea at Keppel Terminal.
This was announced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in a media release.
MPA said they were alerted to the incident at about 2 am on Tuesday, and a patrol craft was deployed immediately to set up a cordon to assist in recovery operations.
“The body of the driver was recovered from the prime mover by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF),” said MPA.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.
“There is no impact on traffic movement in our port waters,” said MPA. “Investigations are ongoing.”
The SCDF told media that they received a call for assistance at about 1.45 am.
According to SCDF, a trailer was seen at the edge of a shipping berth upon the arrival of its officers.
The prime mover, which had been attached to the trailer, had fallen into the sea and was fully submerged.
SCDF noted that Port operator PSA helped to secure the trailer to prevent it from moving, before its divers were deployed to conduct an underwater search.
The divers retrieved a body from the cabin of the prime mover, which was at a depth of 14m, said SCDF.
A spokesperson for PSA Singapore said the man’s body was recovered at 4.30am. He was employed as one of its contractors.
“PSA extends our heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family and, together with his employer (PSA’s contractor), we will render support and assistance to them,” said the spokesperson.
Investigations are still ongoing, police have ruled out foul play.
In 2022, there were 46 workplace deaths recorded, which was higher than the 37 recorded in 2021.
