An Accident at the Dubai Drydocks, one of the world’s leading port facilities, has left at least 20 dead and 150 injured. The collapse of a floodgate caused a sudden flooding of the drydock, in which hundreds of workers were present. Hospital officials told news agencies that at least 20 people had been killed in the accident and over 150 injured. Officials at the state-owned Dubai Drydocks told CNN that the casualty figures might rise even higher as divers began rescue operations after the incident, which took place at 9:30 a.m.
Drydocks are crucial facilities for carrying out serious maintenance on ships. Once the ship enters a drydock, the floodgates are closed behind it, and the seawater is pumped out. With the water gone, the ship is left in the open air and workers can carry out unobstructed work on it.
In Wednesday’s accident, an apparent collapse of two panels in a floodgate that was being repaired caused sudden flooding in an area of the docks that had 5 ships and over 500 workers in it. A witness told Reuters by telephone: "The gate collapsed and seawater rushed in filling the dock in few minutes, drowning many people. It was a horrible sight."
The Dubai Drydocks were inaugurated in 1983, and currently employ some 4,000 workers. Dubai’s good weather, central location and extensive facilities are highly attractive to ship owners, and the Dubai Drydocks dry-docked and repaired 227 vessels in 1999 alone. (www.albawaba.com)
