The death of a crewman, who was crushed while repairing paintwork on a ship anchored off Aberdeen, is to be probed by a sheriff.
Pjero Kurida was working on the ER Athina vessel when he became trapped between the ship’s hull and a lifting frame in June 2012.
The 29-year-old Croatian suffered severe internal injuries and died shortly after arriving at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
More than eight years on, a fatal accident inquiry is to be held at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for the full circumstances surrounding his death to be examined.
An investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) resulted in a highly critical report that made two recommendations to the ship’s German operator ER Schiffahrt.
They said the crew on board the ER Athina wasted time by not contacting the coastguard to take Mr Kurida to hospital.
Instead, the MAIB said they had arranged a transfer to shore through the ship’s agent.
The agent contacted the skipper of the Skua, a fishing vessel used to support ships lying off Aberdeen, to take Mr Kurida ashore.
Despite the Skua arriving “quickly on the scene”, investigators said there had been delay getting ashore.
The vessel was in harbour by 11.25am and by noon Mr Kurida was in an ambulance on the way to hospital, but within an hour he was dead.
The MAIB said the coastguard should be alerted in all emergency situations.
It also ruled that the painting job Mr Kurida had been doing was not properly planned or risk assessed.
Colleagues later described him as “popular and knowledgeable”.
The FAI is mandatory as Mr Kurida was in the course of his employment when he died. A preliminary hearing will take place in early March with the full inquiry expected to get under way later in the year.
