The fatal Hanjin shipyard accident claimed another victim on Monday, as Valian dela Cruz, one of three workers who sustained injuries after falling from the scaffolding they were resting on, died at the Baypointe Hospital here.
Dela Cruz and eight others were taking a break while working at one of the project vessels of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines at the Redondo Peninsula.
The 39-year-old Dela Cruz worked as a general worker of Binictican I-Tech, a Hanjin subcontractor.
Dela Cruz’s death followed that of Ferdinand Leuterio, 38, a foreman from Leyte, who was the first fatality of the accident. Leuterio died due to internal organ injuries.
Two other co-workers—Johnny Alegre, 39, and Gerry Bayuta, 34—are reportedly still at the intensive care unit of the hospital.
Alegre suffered a head injury while Bayuta had a fracture on his lower back after the fall.
The Department of Labor and Employment and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority ordered that Binictican I-Tech be suspended indefinitely.
Song Suk Bae, president of the subcontractor company, expressed regret over the fatal incident and said it has adopted corrective measures to prevent the repeat of similar incidents.
In all, Leuterio and Dela Cruz are the 39th and 40th fatalities from industrial accidents inside the Hanjin since it began its shipbuilding operations in Subic in May 2006.
SBMA chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma described the latest fatal accident “deplorable” and added that “the SBMA is now in close coordination with the DOLE Occupational Health and Safety on this.”
She added that the Public Health and Safety Department of the SBMA will conduct a probe and will possibly impose appropriate fines and penalties.
“But more importantly, I want measures passed the soonest, for stricter and prohibitive safety measures,” Eisma said.