An explosion occurred aboard the cruise ship Emerald Princess, hitting and killing a crew member at about 5.15pm on February 9 while the vessel was alongside at Port Chalmers in New Zealand, local media report
A cylinder, which contained compressed nitrogen caused the explosion. Moreover, a firefighter reported that the large cylinder became a projectile and hit the man.
The operator of the cruise ship, Sydney-based Princess Cruises, said that the first reports indicate that the incident happened during technical work on the hydraulic launching system on a tender vessel.
“We are working closely with local police and other authorities in assisting in their response and inquiries,” a representative from Princess Cruises said.
According to the police no-one else was injured and they will be investigating the death on behalf of the Coroner. Furthermore, Worksafe and Maritime New Zealand have been consulted.
The ship was due to depart for Fiordland at 6pm on February 10. However, it has not been reported when the ship would sail yet. The ship would only sail when it had permission to do so from authorities.
