A deckhand on a fishing boat was fatally injured when a boom collapsed.

The victim and a co-worker were under the boom, pulling a load of fish on board, when a wire cable used to raise and lower the boom snapped. The boom knocked both men down. The captain and a skiff tender freed them, but one of the men stopped breathing. Despite immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, he died from his injuries 11 days later.

This incident underscores the need for backup safety systems and regular safety inspections on arrangements such as rigging. In this case, safety investigators recommended that at least two blocks be used in the boom rigging to improve weight distribution.