A vessel was in port and the crew was loading logs on to the hatch covers. The securing system involved the use of foot wires, snatch blocks, and a wiggle wire (see image). Although it was dark, the deck was well lit by the ship’s own floodlights and the floodlights on the wharf.

The crew was wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), which included boot spikes to reduce the risk of slipping on the wet logs. The number one crane was being used to tension the wiggle wire, and two deck crew were standing close by to check the tension in the wire. The bosun was communicating with the crane operator using hand signals.

Tension was brought on the wiggle wire and then stopped at a signal from the bosun. The bosun started to walk towards the two-deck crew in preparation to attach bulldog grips to secure the tensioned wire when a foot wire directly in front of the two-deck crew suddenly parted.

The rapid release of tension allowed a block and the wiggle wire to recoil towards the two-deck crew. Both crews were struck by securing equipment and/or wire; one sustained minor injuries but the other later died of his injuries.