Driver injured as dockyard crane topples

A crane driver was seriously injured today when the vehicle "toppled over" as it loaded a ship.

The man's legs were feared to have been crushed when the crane fell on to a container ship being loaded at Southampton port, in Hampshire, early this morning.

Thirteen firefighters helped get the crane driver out of the cab and he was airlifted to the dockside by the Coastguard helicopter before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

The helicopter was also used during checks to ensure no other crew or dock workers were missing or injured after the accident.

A Hampshire Police spokesman said: "A crane has toppled over on to a container ship.

"It appears the jib of the crane has fallen on to the container ship, which was being loaded at the time."

Police said the incident is being treated as an industrial accident.

Health and Safety Executive officials were due on site later today and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is also due to investigate.

The crane, a twin boom rig with the cab suspended on rails, failed at both uprights and collapsed onto containers below on the ship NYK Themis at around 5.20am.