After a rough six days on the gulf of mexico. the crew of the bulk-freight vessel was looking forward to the three days of R&R they had coming to them when they reached port. The mood was somber as they maneuvered through the channel, guided by the powerful engines of the harbor tug. Linemen and safety personnel readied themselves for duty as the ship approached its berth at the busy seaport. The big vessel's pilot worked in harmony with the tug's experienced crew, gently docking the massive ship while the port's line handlers struggled to secure the mooring lines. On deck, a crewman had begun to release the safety cables that secured one of the topside containers. The rough seas combined with an age-worn coupling caused the cable to suddenly shear, allowing the container to topple from its position onto the crewman below. The crewman hurled himself backward, but the heavy steel box pinned his right leg to the deck, crushing his ankle and severely fracturing his lower leg. Another quick-thinking crewman immediately radioed the captain and then used a deck crane to lift the box off his fellow crewman's mangled leg.
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