A seafarers' union inspector said today he has been denied access to a Norfolk Line ship where a man suffered fatal injuries in Dublin port last week.
Patrycjusz Zawadowicz (31) suffered critical injuries in an accident involving the Dublin Vikingon Tuesday last week. He died in hospital yesterday.
The International Transport Federation (ITF) represented by Ken Fleming of Siptu has been trying to establish what happened in the accident, in which another man suffer a dislocated shoulder.
The union official said he had made a preliminary inspection of the vessel with the parents of Mr Zawadowicz last night but that he had now been denied further access. However, the company said in a statement this evening that it was not aware of any such request for access and that it had no further comment to make on Mr Fleming's statement.
"Norfolk Line has not given any explanation...for its decision but it has been reported to the ITF that the company is unhappy at critical remarks he has made about the conditions of employment of seafarers on other vessels chartered by Norfolk Line in the past," a statement issued on Mr Fleming's behalf said.
"The ITF categorically rejects the notion that a shipping company, or anyone else, has the right to impose a censorship regime on inspectors as a precondition to allowing them access to vessels to carry out their duties."
The ITF has reported the incident to the Health and Safety Authority. The union said it has also been informed by the Garda Síochána that the force will be investigating the circumstances of Mr Zawadowicz's death.
According to the ITF, Mr Zawadowicz was married and his wife is expecting their first child next month.
He was Third Officer on the Dublin Vikingand was due to retire at the end of this month to take up shore based employment so that he could spend more time at home with his family.
The vessel left Dublin after the accident on August 7th and returned yesteday.
In a statement, Norfolkline Irish Sea Ferries and Meridian Marine Management, as operators of the Dublin terminal and the Dublin Viking, said they "have full responsibility" to control access to the terminal and the ship.
"Neither Norfolkline nor Meridian are aware of any request by the vessel for the ITF to visit the vessel. However, they continue to support Patrick Zawadowicz's parents and provide them, and the UK and Irish authorities, who are officially investigating the incident, with all the relevant information and access that is requested," the statement said.
"Norfolkline Irish Sea Ferry Service and Meridian Marine Management have no further comment to make on ITF representative Ken Fleming's recent statement regarding access to the vessel."