Near-miss: supply vessel pulls platform crane overboard

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 4 April 2012
  • Generated on 23 December 2025
  • IMCA SF 03/12
  • 1 minute read

The Marine Safety Forum (MSF) has published Safety Flash 12-08 regarding an incident in which a platform crane was destroyed. 

What happened?

During ‘routine’ hoisting activities on board discharging of a 20 feet basket from a supply vessel, the basket turned round when the crane started lifting it, and hooked inside an escape opening in the rail. The supply boat moved down on the swell at the same time as the crane lifted, and the crane was pulled overboard. There were no injuries.

Latest Safety Flashes:

Two Walk-to-Work gangway incidents

A member reports two related incidents involving Walk-to-Work gangways.

Read more
Dropped object – Bailout cylinder inside diving bell

During bell preparations for saturation diving operations, an incident occurred within the vessel’s saturation system.

Read more
Man overboard in port: Seaman falls from quay access ladder

A crew member fell overboard during operations alongside.

Read more
LTI: Leg injury while using hand-held grinder

A worker suffered a leg injury whilst using a hand-held grinder.

Read more
BSEE: Anchor-handling causes damage to subsea equipment and triggers gas release

The United States Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has published Safety Alert 508 on 30 September 2025.

Read more

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.

The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.

All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.

Share your safety incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive Safety Flashes straight to your email.