At a coastal logging operation, a small boat was used to straighten a cable before it was respooled on a floating work deck. The cable had been used to drag fallen trees down the mountainside and into the water. The small boat was operated by one person, a reported non-swimmer. The boat had reached the end of the cable when suddenly it sunk. Co-workers hurried to the scene, but found just a floating hardhat and pike pole. There was reportedly no life-jacket on board. A search ensued, but the victim’s body was not found.

A coroner’s jury suggested it was possible that the weight of the cable caused the boat to sink. The jury recommended larger vessels be used for pulling heavy wire rope, and vessels be designed with watertight compartments so they can float longer.

This fatality underscores the importance of knowing how to swim -especially if you work around water – and always using a personal flotation device (PFD).