In the early hours of a November morning,the fully laden 42,259gt Panamanian registered container vessel Ambassador Bridge was inbound to the English Channel,and had closed the south Devon coast to embark a pilot off Brixham.
In preparing to embark the pilot at the port side pilot station situated some 4m above the waterline,a seaman was detailed off to rig the pilot ladder and stand by to receive him.He made a radio check with the bridge when he arrived,but when the bridge tried to contact him again as the pilot boat approached,there was no reply.An officer was sent down to investigate.
The chief officer found the pilot door wide open,the ladder unrigged,water sloshing around the station deck,but no sign of the seaman detailed off to prepare the ladder for embarkation.
The body of a man,later identified as the deceased seaman,was recovered from the sea some four hours later.He was not wearing a lifejacket.