A Florida harbor pilot died Jan. 12 after falling from a pilot ladder while disembarking the outbound bulk carrier Lowlands Luck near Panama City, Fla.
The St. Andrew Bay Pilots Association confirmed that Capt. Phillip Brady, 46, fell into the water while transferring from the Singapore-flagged, 63,500-dwt bulker. The pilot boat operator recovered Brady within two minutes and initiated emergency care. A Coast Guard crew then transported him to a medical facility, where he was later pronounced dead.
The circumstances of the accident remain under investigation.
Brady, a native of Mobile, Ala., was a 2001 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and had served as a harbor pilot in Panama City for six years. He is survived by his fiancée and two young children. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the family.
“Captain Brady was a respected and dedicated professional mariner whose loss is felt profoundly throughout the maritime community,” the St. Andrew Bay Pilots said in a statement. The organization asked the public to keep Brady’s family and colleagues in their thoughts while the inquiry continues.
The association also acknowledged the actions of the pilot boat operator, who conducted the immediate recovery.
The Lowlands Luck, built in 2023, had departed Panama City after unloading cargo and continued to Port Tampa Bay, arriving Jan. 17. Ownership records list the vessel as owned by Goodwill Maritime of Singapore with technical management by Cleanseas Management in the Philippines.
The Florida Harbor Pilots Association said it is cooperating fully with investigators and urged patience until the facts are established.
“Our focus right now is supporting Captain Brady’s family and the pilots and crew affected by this tragedy,” the St. Andrew Bay Pilots said.
WorkBoat reached out to the Florida Harbor Pilots Association and will provide updates on this story when additional details are made available.
