Six people were killed and 22 are injured when a gantry crane fell on a ship under construction in South Korea on Monday, an official said.

Two cranes collided at a Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje city, causing a structure to fall on a ship, Yonhap news agency quoted police as saying.

The gantry crane that broke was between 50 and 60 meters long and weighed 32 tons.

At least six persons were in critical condition, the police said.

“It’s still chaotic at the site,” said a police official. “We plan to figure out the details through relevant officials.”

Work was on to rescue those buried at the site, he said.

Deaths at Samsung Heavy’s two main rivals – Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and Hyundai Heavy Industries – have also increased in the past 18 months.

Korean trade unions have blasted senior management at these yards in recent months for trading safety as orders dried up forcing dramatic cuts in outlay among the nation’s top yards.

The accident occurred as many around the world were joining May Day marches for workers’ rights.

South Korean workers are entitled to a paid holiday on May 1 but in practice many go to work anyway.

Samsung-Shiipyard-Crane-Collapse


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