A crewman has lost a leg after an accident on a Zim boxship off Argentina.
The country’s maritime authority said it was alerted to an emergency situation on the 9,115-teu Zim Norfolk (built 2015) on the evening of 27 March.
The vessel was in the Huergo channel as it left the port of Buenos Aires at the time.
The 22-year-old Filipino seafarer was airlifted from the Liberia-flag vessel on a helicopter.
Prefectura Naval Argentina said it was told in a phone call with the ship that the crewman had lost his left in an unspecified accident.
After a radio consultation, a doctor ordered the man to be taken to hospital immediately.
The coast guard provided logistical support for the evacuation.
Further details of what happened on board are not yet known.
The seafarer was winched aboard the helicopter and taken to Dr Juan A Fernandez Acute General Hospital.
The vessel moved to La Plata anchorage after the incident.
AIS data shows the Zim Norfolk still anchored there on Wednesday.
Its next port of call is Montevideo in Uruguay.
The ship is chartered by Israel’s Zim, owned by Global Ship Lease and operated by Technomar.
“We deeply regret the unfortunate incident and extend our sincerest wishes for the full recovery of the seafarer involved. We are confident that the owners of the vessel and the local authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter,” Zim told TradeWinds.
“At Zim, we place the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of crew members. We expect all our vendors to adhere to the same high standards of safety and care for their employees.”
The operator’s agency in Buenos Aires has been instructed to provide full assistance to the seafarer, captain and owner.
GSL said: “A seafarer on one of our vessels sustained a significant injury on board the ship and was subsequently airlifted to a hospital.”
“We are currently assessing the situation and are focused on ensuring the safety of the crew and that the affected crewman receives the medical treatment and support that he needs.”
