Fatalities from Keppel accident rise to 6

One of the injured workers from the Keppel Subic Shipyard incident had passed away Friday night.

Mr Mok Kim Whang, President and General Manager, Keppel Subic Shipyard, said, “We are deeply saddened that one of the seven injured workers had passed away in Our Lady of Lourdes International Medical Center, Olongapo City at around 10:15pm on 7 October 2011. This brings the total number of fatalities to six.”

The incident happened at Keppel Subic Shipyard in the Philippines on 7 October 2011 at around 10:20am. According to Mr Mok Kim Whang, the incident occurred at a dock where a vessel was being repaired. He said a stern ramp fell on a scaffolding underneath a ramp where the workers were working.

The fatalities were identified as Cris Xander Papna, Jhay Lord Reyes, Glenn Miranda and Ronaldo Bagay, project employees of Keppel Subic Shipyard, and Mark San Juan and Ronald Lara, who were from the yard’s subcontractor Garcia & Rocafor General Services.

Of the six injured workers, Berlindo Asinas and Eleazar Elopre Jr. are KSS project employees while Albert Recana, Alvin Penaverde, Wendy May Balaba and Belmore Dela Vega are workers from G&R. According to Mr Mok Kim Whang, three of them are currently in stable condition and the other three are warded in the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile the yard has suspended work on the vessel pending further investigation.

“We are saddened that this incident has happened and our foremost thoughts are with the affected workers and their families. We would like to offer our sincere condolences once again to the families of the victims and are extending the necessary funeral and financial assistance to the victims and their families,” said Mr Mok Kim Whang.

The investigation in the Philippines is on-going, and a taskforce comprising senior management from KSS and headquarters from Singapore has been formed to look into further enhancing safety at the yard.