Filipino Man Missing after Falling from Boxship off New Zealand
New Zealand’s authorities suspended the search for a 52-year-old Filipino seafarer who fell off the container ship Madinah at around 1 pm local time, June 2, while the vessel was entering Lyttelton Harbour, according to local media.
A Westpac Rescue helicopter, search boats, and commercial vessels searching for the missing seaman were stood down three and a half hours after the man went overboard.
There has been no reported sightings of the missing seafarer thus far.
At around 2 pm local time, a search team found a hard hat and gloves, presumably belonging to the missing man.
Local police have dispatched a team of investigators to Lyttelton Harbour to question the crew of Madinah, which docked at about 6:30 pm.
The port authorities halted all the traffic coming in or out of the harbour.
Madinah is a 2010-built, 4,250 TEU container ship owned by Seaspan Ltd. The vessel sails under the flag of Hong Kong, and is currently serving a 12-month charter with Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL).
World Maritime News Staff: Image: Seaspan
