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Below Deck shows that deckhand work can be quite dangerous

On Behalf of | Mar 13, 2020 | Jones Act

One ever-popular show on television (TV) is Bravo’s Below Deck. In case you haven’t watched the program before, it gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work as a deckhand on a superyacht for the rich and famous. The work that these individuals perform is far from glamorous. In fact, it’s downright dangerous. Many of the show’s stars have been seriously hurt as they’ve worked on these vessels.

A male deckhand almost fell off the boat after a rope somehow got wrapped around this ankle while he was navigating one of the upper decks of the superyacht during its most recent season. The captain of the ship watched in horror as the young man came within 30 seconds of losing his life. It was thanks to the quick-thinking film crew that the man is still alive. One of the production team members saw him get entangled in the rope and cut the deckhand free in just the nick of time before he drowned.

While the deckhand during the most recent season got lucky, countless others have starred on the show that haven’t had as much luck.

A female stewardess died from a fatal head injury after falling downstairs during a previous season. A crew member was struck while riding in a smaller boat nearby the yacht. Rescue teams never found that person’s body. Then there’s another deckhand who had been strapped into a harness to clean the yacht’s upper deck. He became dislodged from it and fell, fatally fracturing his skull.

Devasting fires have also ravaged yachts in recent years. Fortunately, crewmembers have escaped death in those instances.

Industry analysts note that one of the problems with working on a superyacht as a stewardess or deckhand is that owners tend to view these individuals as easily replaceable. This is what makes it so easy for them to cut corners necessary to make their vessels safe.

If you’ve been hurt while working as a deckhand on a ship here in New York, then you must know that you do have rights. A Jones Act attorney here in Manhattan can review the details surrounding your case and advise you of your right to receive compensation for medical costs, lost wages and other expenses in your case.