Body of worker who fell into the sea at Keppel Shipyard in Tuas found

SINGAPORE: The body of a worker who fell into the sea was found on Wednesday morning (Aug 24), two days after part of a concrete pier he was on collapsed at Keppel Shipyard in Tuas.

In a statement on Wednesday, Keppel Shipyard expressed its condolences to the family of the subcontract worker, a 38-year-old Bangladeshi, and said it is working closely with the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and review.

"Keppel Shipyard values the safety and life of every worker and we deeply regret this tragic incident," the company said. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Wednesday that it retrieved a body floating in the water near the incident site, adding that the worker was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

According to the police, the body was recovered at about 8.30am on Wednesday.

The workplace accident happened on Monday morning when part of the concrete pier that a crane was standing on collapsed, causing the crane to topple onto a vessel that was berthed next to the pier, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesperson said.

The 38-year-old worker, who was on the pier, fell into the sea and was reported missing. The missing worker was employed by Kumarann Marine.

The incident at 51 Pioneer Sector 1 of Keppel Shipyard caused the crane to be partially submerged under water.

Four other workers – two Bangladeshis, one Chinese national and one Singaporean – suffered minor injuries and are in stable condition, said the MOM spokesperson. 

MOM said it is investigating the cause of the accident and has stopped all works at the pier.