Two crane operators were injured after a mobile crane overturned and caught fire during a heavy-lift operation at Mumbai Port on August 30.
A 140-tonne cargo unit was being discharged from the Barbados-flagged MV Vienna using two cranes when the lifting operation went wrong. During the lift, a sling attached to the cargo slipped, causing the load to shift suddenly.
The weight transferred to the second crane, lifting it off the ground. Its telescopic boom then struck MV Vienna, with the impact triggering a fire on the crane.
Mumbai Port firefighters extinguished the blaze. The two injured operators were taken to hospital for treatment. No other injuries have been reported.
There was no reported fire aboard MV Vienna. The vessel remained alongside as authorities assessed the incident.
Mumbai Police has launched an investigation into the accident. Authorities are examining the circumstances of the lift and whether any technical or operational failures contributed to the crane overturning.
The incident highlights the risks of tandem crane operations when handling heavy or indivisible cargo. A sudden shift in load distribution can quickly destabilise lifting equipment and put both personnel and the vessel at risk.
