Two killed in cargo unloading mishap on ship in Rotterdam's Waalhaven harbour

Two people were killed while another two were injured after an accident occurred in the hold of a cargo vessel in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Thursday, June 19.

Unloading operations were being conducted on the Belgian-flagged inland cargo ship Ronny-O in Rotterdam's Waalhaven harbour when the accident occurred at around 07:45 local time on Thursday.

The exact circumstances surrounding the mishap remain unclear, though the captain of a vessel that had arrived to render assistance said he suspects some steel plates had fallen onto the two individuals who were later pronounced deceased.

Police have declared the ship a crime scene and have cordoned off the area to allow an investigation to be conducted. Dutch labour officials have also begun a separate probe into the mishap.

Local media said the two injured individuals have been offloaded from the ship with the aid of its crane and have been brought to hospital, while the bodies of the two deceased victims are still in the hold.

A local safety official said authorities are still working to identify a "neat and respectful" way for the bodies to be brought out of the hold.