A Florida harbour pilot has died after falling from a cargo vessel while disembarking near Panama City.

Captain Phillip Brady, aged 46, fell from a pilot ladder while leaving the outbound bulk carrier MV Lowlands Luck near St. Andrews Pass on Monday.

The St. Andrew’s Bay Pilots and the Florida Harbor Pilots Association confirmed the incident, stating that the circumstances surrounding the fall remain under active investigation.

According to local media reports, Brady fell approximately 15 feet into the water while transferring from the vessel. He was recovered by the ship’s crew within around two minutes but was unresponsive.

The US Coast Guard transported him to a medical services facility, where he was pronounced dead.

Harbor pilots are responsible for guiding large ocean-going vessels safely in and out of ports.

Their duties often involve transferring between pilot boats and moving ships using temporary ladders over open water, a task widely regarded as one of the most hazardous aspects of the profession.

Brady had served as a Florida harbour pilot in the Panama City area for six years.

The St. Andrew’s Bay Pilots described him as a highly respected professional mariner whose loss has deeply affected the maritime community.

In a statement issued by the pilots’ organisation, it was said that the details of the accident are still being examined and that the public is being asked to keep Brady’s family and colleagues in their thoughts.

The group also acknowledged the impact of the incident on those present at the time, including the pilot boat operator, a fellow Panama City pilot, and a Pensacola-based pilot who was undergoing cross-training and accompanying Brady.

Brady was a native of Mobile, Alabama, and graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2001. A GoFundMe campaign has since been launched in his memory.

The Lowlands Luck, the vessel involved in the incident, had been linked to an emergency at the Port of Panama City about a week earlier.

After unloading bagged cement at the East Terminal, nine SSA Marine workers were taken to a local hospital after experiencing suspected effects while using a chemical cleaning solution on board.

No connection between the two incidents has been established.

References: freightwaves, wjhg