The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK 

Tribune Freeport Reporter 

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE death of a young engineer technician who fell from a crane at the Freeport Container Port on Boxing Day has cast a harsh spotlight on workplace safety at the transshipment terminal, as police investigate the circumstances surrounding the early-morning tragedy.

Anderson Adderley, 27, was found unresponsive shortly after 5am on Friday, lying on the ground near the stack trailer area of the port with serious injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

His death was one of two serious incidents reported at the port on Friday. 

In a separate incident, police said another man sustained severe injuries to his legs while working on a vessel docked near the container port, just off Warren J Levarity Highway, after an object reportedly fell on him. 

The injured man was taken to hospital, where his condition was unknown. 

Adderley, who worked in the port’s Engineering Department, had been employed there for about a year. He was reportedly not wearing a body harness at the time of the incident. 

When The Tribune arrived at the port shortly after 8am, co-workers and friends had already gathered near the entrance after learning of the incident. Shortly before 9am, a hearse and several police vehicles were seen leaving the compound. 

Superintendent Nicholas Johnson, officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, said police were alerted by port personnel around 5am that an adult male employee had been found in the area of the stack trailers with serious injuries. 

Officers, along with Emergency Medical Services, responded to the scene, where they observed the man lying on the ground. 

Supt Johnson said preliminary investigations indicated that Adderley had been assigned to work on one of the cranes at the dock site. 

The port operates 14 cranes and is currently undergoing upgrades and expansion valued at approximately $100m. 

“We are in the initial stages of our investigation, and we are speaking with a number of witnesses who are assisting us at this time,” Mr Johnson said. 

The tragedy has devastated Adderley’s family, who say they are now waiting for answers from police investigators and port officials. 

His uncle, Andrew Forbes, described the death as a profound blow. 

“We really don’t have many words,” he said. “This is a freak accident that was unexpected. Our family has actually been going through a whole lot over the past four years. We literally had a death every year within the past four years, starting with his aunt, and nine months later, his uncle died, and nine months later, his granddad died. And now here we are.” 

Mr Forbes said his nephew was two months away from celebrating his 28th birthday on February 28. 

“His mother is not doing very well as expected; he is an only child. We’re a tight-knit family, and so it’s a lot to manage and kind of just wrap your minds around.” 

He said the family is focused on understanding how the incident occurred. 

“So we are really just waiting to hear from the investigators and the container port as to exactly what happened, and how a tragedy of this nature could have occurred.” 

Mr Forbes said Adderley had previously spoken with him about aspects of his work environment. He explained that his nephew initially pursued studies in police forensics before switching to engineering and earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of The Bahamas. 

“After he graduated, the opportunity came up to work at the container port. He was very excited to be able to join their team and kind of work in the industry. And so, he was doing very well,” he said. 

“You know, going into a new organization, you sitting down and you looking at some things. And he and I had a couple of conversations about the work environment, and so forth. I told him to kind of make it work for what it is, and then he can figure out what he wanted to do.” 

Asked whether his nephew had raised specific safety concerns, Mr Forbes declined to elaborate. 

“I wouldn’t comment on that just in this moment, but you know, different companies they got different things going on. I wouldn’t get too deep into that conversation just in this moment. We want to see what the preliminary investigative results from the police department is, and hopefully the container port. 

“If there’s something that needs to be looked at in terms of enhanced safety mechanisms and so forth, we hope that they use this as a learning opportunity so other families would not have to experience what we are facing and having to experience.” 

In a statement Friday, Freeport Container Port chief executive officer Godfrey Smith extended condolences to Mr Adderley’s family, loved ones, and colleagues. 

“The Royal Bahamas Police Force is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident with the support of FCP in-house security and safety teams,” the company said.