Mooring line snap-back trauma leading to bilateral lower limbs amputation: a case exploration with preventive strategies

TL;DR

This paper explores a severe accident involving a mooring line snap-back that caused limb amputation and discusses prevention and treatment strategies.

Contribution

The study introduces a comprehensive analysis of snap-back trauma and proposes preventive and treatment strategies for maritime accidents.

Findings

A seafarer suffered bilateral lower limb amputation due to a snap-back mooring line.

Abnormal fendering compression and environmental conditions contributed to the accident.

Systematic training and emergency care plans are crucial for preventing such incidents.

Abstract

The report focuses on mooring operations-related accidents, especially those involving mooring line partings for bulk carriers. It presents a case of a young seafarer who suffered severe injuries from a snap-back mooring line during disembarking. The causes of the accident, including factors like abnormal fendering compression and meteorological/hydrological conditions, are analyzed. Moreover, it discusses prevention measures for such accidents, treatment strategies for snap-back trauma which is a complex and multidisciplinary process, and key aspects regarding the long-term prognosis and quality of life of the cases. The study emphasizes the importance of establishing comprehensive plans and training programs due to the common occurrence of such accidents and their potentially severe consequences, as there's a lack of systematic reviews on on-site emergency care strategies in general.

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