JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man whose father was killed while working on a shipping vessel in Jacksonville in January claims negligence is what took his father's life.
Olcay Bebek, who First Coast News spoke with via Zoom from Turkey, says he plans to sue and calls the accident "inevitable."
The police report from Jacksonville Sheriff's Office details what happened when Salih Bebek, 58, was killed while working on a Turkish shipping vessel at Keystone Terminal.
Bebek was the boatswain, in charge of equipment and the crew.
The police report states on January 2, a crane was off-loading the ship’s cargo from the ground. The crane operator could not see the cargo hold and was being guided by a spotter. Bebek leaned over the edge of the cargo hold and the grab of the crane hit him, according to the report.
Bebek's son, Olcay Bebek, asks why they were using a crane from the ground instead of one on the ship.
"Why?" he said in a Zoom from Turkey. "There is more safety crane! Money more important than safety for them."
Olcay Bebek calls it major negligence and says he plans to sue all parties involved. First Coast News reached out to Sims Crane, Keystone Terminal and Fiber Marine.
Sims Crane wouldn't comment during an ongoing investigation. Keystone Terminal did not respond to our requests for comment.
A spokesperson for Fiber Marine said in a statement that Bebek was a valued and well-liked crew member and that they'll continue to cooperate in the investigation.
"My father is really a good person," Olcay Bebek said. "This is not accident. This is mistake."
Stay with First Coast News as we continue to follow this story.
