Worker dies after being crushed by ship’s anchor.

A MAN has died after being crushed by a falling anchor while he worked in a dry dock.

Fire crew and staff at A&P Tees on Teesside were forced to use a crane to lift the anchor as it pinned the 45-year-old to the floor.

Paramedics and a doctor from the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) sedated the man while they battled to save his life.

He was flown to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough suffering from severe chest injuries. He later died.

The accident happened just after 11am this morning.

Sarah Booth, spokesperson for GNAA, said: “We were called to an incident at 11.13am to a report that a 45-year-old man had been crushed by a falling anchor.

“When our crew arrived on the scene, the man was still trapped, and the fire brigade were attempting to free him using a crane.

“Once the anchor had been moved the doctor and paramedic anaesthetized the man and attended to his horrific crush injuries.

“Due the difficult position the accident happened, a crane was used to move the man to the helicopter, by 11.58am he was at James Cook University Hospital.

“This was a terrible tragedy, but he had the best care available to him and everyone worked really well together to try and get him to hospital as soon as possible.

“Sadly, there was nothing that anyone could do to save his life.”

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation into the accident and staff were sent home from work.