Two dead in accident at ship repair yard in Norfolk

On Wednesday, two workers were killed in an unspecified accident at a private repair shop in Norfolk, Virginia.

Around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, Norfolk police and fire rescue teams were called to the MHI ship repair yard on Warrenton Avenue, directly across from the Portsmouth Marine Terminal on the Elizabeth River. They found one deceased and one seriously injured person on site. The survivor was taken to hospital but died within hours.

Shipyard operator Marine Hydraulics International confirmed the deaths in a statement on Wednesday.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the deaths of two shipyard workers,” said an MHI spokesman. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with the many affected employees at our facility. We are committed to supporting them during this difficult time.”

The company added that safety was its top priority and that it would cooperate with the investigation into the accident.

Workers at the shipyard told local media that other personnel on the ship where the accident occurred were sent home for the day. The name of the vessel has not been identified, but WAVY's local traffic helicopter captured video of police activity on the stern ramp of a large maritime transport vessel.

MHI Ship Repair is a division of Titan, the successor company to West Coast shipbuilder Vigor Industrial. The company prides itself on providing high quality and economical repair services to commercial and government customers. It employs around 500 people at its sites in Norfolk.

Image above: Tony Webster / CC BY SA 4.0