Seafaring has long been one of the most challenging and hazardous occupations. Seafarers face not only long periods of isolation and harsh working conditions but also significant risks to their health and safety. Despite advances in maritime technology, regulation, and training, each year, hundreds of lives are lost at sea due to a variety of causes -including occupational accidents, health-related issues, suicide, disappearances at sea, and other undetermined causes.
Each year, the international community observes the Day of the Seafarer on 25 June, acknowledging the vital contributions of seafarers to global trade and the world economy. The day also serves to raise awareness of the challenges they face and to promote improved working conditions, mental health support, and occupational safety across the industry.
Valid, reliable and timely data on seafarer deaths is critical to shaping effective safety policies for maritime transport, monitoring their effectiveness and identifying areas requiring preventive measures.
While many countries track fatalities due to occupational accidents, no comprehensive system existed for monitoring seafarer deaths arising from other causes, such as health-related issues, suicides, incidents involving persons overboard or other causes. The COVID-19 pandemic brought these gaps into sharp focus. Movement restrictions and extended periods of service on board significantly affected seafarers’ mental health, likely contributing to an increase in suicides at sea. However, in the absence of reliable data, the extent of this increase remains unquantified.
A new global standard: Reporting seafarer deaths
In response to this need, in 2022 the International Labour Conference approved a number of important amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006) that came into force at the end of 2024. One key provision requires that all deaths of seafarers employed, engaged, or working onboard ships be investigated, recorded, and reported annually to the ILO Director-General for inclusion in a global register.
Experimental data collection: A first step
To support the implementation of this new reporting requirement, an experimental data collection was conducted in 2024—marking the first global attempt to establish a standardized database on seafarer deaths by cause of death.
An enquiry sent to Ministries of Labour and, where available, national maritime authorities, sought data on number of seafarers’ deaths in 2023, disaggregated by underlying cause of death, by type, size and location of the ship, and seafarer’s sex, age, occupational position and department. Data was requested on five main causes of deaths: occupational accidents, health-related factors, persons overboard, suicide and other causes, as well as deaths that are still under investigation.
The definitions and classifications used in the enquiry were aligned with :
- The MLC, 2006 provisions,
- The Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents) adopted by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) (https://www.ilo.org/resource/resolution-concerning-statistics-occupational-injuries-resulting),
- WHO’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems(ICD) (https://www.who.int/classifications/classification-of-diseases),
- Classifications used in existing maritime transport statistics (e.g the classification of types of ships and the size of ships in the EqUASIS publication “The world merchant fleet in 2020 (equasis.org) and, to some extent, IMO classifications (https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Pages/RegulationsDefault.aspx).
Despite its experimental nature, 57 countries responded to the enquiry, demonstrating strong international engagement and laying the groundwork for a more permanent system of data collection and reporting. Out of these 57 countries, 51 provided data. The list of responding countries, along with details on coverage and comparability of data, is available in the report Global register of fatalities at sea: Experimental data collection – Report | International Labour Organization. One of the main findings is that there are notable differences in the availability and quality of the data sources used to generate statistics on seafarers’ deaths. While most countries have established recording systems capable of tracking fatalities resulting from occupational accidents, in many countries the deaths resulting from other causes are not fully captured. Also, data submitted by many countries do not support the detailed disaggregation of seafarers’ deaths by key variables.
This blog summarizes the submitted data. Although the country coverage is not comprehensive, the findings offer valuable insights into key characteristics and emerging patterns in fatal incidents at sea.
The leading cause of deaths were illnesses and diseases
A total of 403 deaths were reported by 51 countries, providing critical insight into the risks faced by seafarers.
The leading cause of death was illnesses and diseases, accounting for 139 cases. This highlights the persistent health risks inherent in maritime work. Common causes include cardiovascular events—such as heart attacks and strokes—and other non-communicable diseases, which are often aggravated by the physically demanding nature of the job, prolonged working hours, chronic stress, and limited access to timely medical care while at sea.
In addition, 91 cases of persons overboard who disappeared at sea and 74 fatalities resulting from occupational accidents collectively accounted for more than one-third of all reported deaths. Suicides with 26 cases, representing 6.5 per cent of the total, highlighted the mental health strain faced by many seafarers. A further 37 (9 per cent) of fatalities were due to other causes, including natural deaths, alcohol-related incidents, homicides, and deaths occurring ashore. Approximately 4 per cent of the cases remained under investigation at the time of reporting and could not be categorized by cause.
As the maritime transport industry is heavily male-dominated, over 95 per cent of the victims were men.
Reducing the number of deaths resulting from occupational accidents, persons overboard, and suicides among seafarers, requires a comprehensive, multi-layered strategy that addresses both the physical safety and mental health. This could include better safety measures, preventive healthcare, regular check-ups, improved medical facilities on board, and health and wellness programs suited to life at sea.
Nearly half of the recorded fatalities were among able seamen
Out of the 228 cases where the rank of the deceased seafarer was specified, able seamen accounted for almost 50 per cent, which to some extent reflects their proportion among the total personnel onboard.
Able seamen are more likely to fall victim to occupational accidents at sea compared to officers or higher-ranking personnel
A detailed analysis of fatalities by rank and cause of death reveals that an equal percentage of able seamen and other ranks can die from heath related illnesses and diseases. However, able seamen are more likely to be involved in fatal occupational accidents compared to other higher ranks. Meanwhile, other ranks show a higher likelihood of suicide-related deaths. The higher incidence of occupational accidents among able seamen is largely a result of their greater exposure to high-risk manual tasks but also reduced training in safety procedures compared to higher ranking personnel. While able seamen are trained in basic safety procedures, they may have less formal education or technical training and may be newer to the industry.
The disproportionate number of fatal occupational injuries among able seamen underscores the need for continued investment in safety measures, training, and emergency preparedness.
Nearly half of the victims worked in the deck department but seafarers in the engine department faced elevated risk for suicide
Of the 304 fatalities for which the seafarer’s department was specified, nearly 50 percent were from the deck department. While each department entails specific risks, the physically demanding nature of deck work—often carried out in dynamic, exposed environments and under time pressure, particularly during cargo handling, mooring, and external maintenance—contributes to its elevated danger. Approximately 26 percent of the victims were from the engine department, and 15 per cent from the catering department.
A detailed analysis of fatalities by department and cause of death reveals the following insights. Deck department seafarers face an almost equal likelihood of dying from occupational accidents, illnesses or diseases, and falling overboard. In contrast, engine department personnel are more likely to die from health-related causes than from occupational accidents. Although engine room work is inherently hazardous, it typically takes place in a more controlled environment, and crew members often receive specialized safety training. Although, the number of suicide cases is not high, they are more prevalent among engine department seafarers than those in the deck department. This may be attributed to a combination of factors, including physically isolated working conditions, confined spaces, high stress levels, limited social interaction, chronic fatigue, and insufficient recognition and support for mental health needs.
Four out of every five victims were aged 30 and over
Of the 223 fatalities for which the victim’s age was specified, four out of five were aged 30 or older. Specifically, 83 percent of the victims were 30 years and above, while 17 percent were between 19 and 29 years old. No fatalities were reported among seafarers aged 16-18. This is likely to correspond to the age distribution of seafarers.
When examining causes of death, it is alarming to note that seafarers aged 19–29 are nearly twice as likely to fall overboard compared to those aged 30 and above.
Bulk carriers, general cargo ships, container ships and oil and chemical tankers collectively accounted for almost 70 per cent of all reported fatalities
Ship type was identified in 400 fatality cases. Fatalities on bulk carriers alone accounted for nearly 25 percent of these deaths. Fatalities on general cargo ships, container ships, and oil and chemical tankers collectively accounted for another 45 percent of total fatalities.
The distribution of fatalities by cause across ship types closely reflects overall patterns, indicating that ship type does not significantly influence the leading causes of death.
Most fatalities occurred on medium and large ships but the ship size does not significantly influence the leading causes of fatalities
Ship size was specified for a total of 323 of the fatalities reported. Nearly 80 per cent of these fatalities occurred on medium and large ships.
The distribution of the causes of fatalities by ship size is closely aligned with overall trends, suggesting that ship size does not significantly influence the leading causes of fatalities.
Over half of all fatalities occurred while the ship was at sea but occupational accidents are more likely to happen in ports
The location of the ship was specified for a total of 339 fatalities. Over 60 per cent of all fatalities occurred while the ship was at sea, and nearly 30 per cent while the ship was in port.
At sea, deaths due to health-related issues are nearly twice as likely to occur as those caused by occupational accidents. Meanwhile, in ports, the number of fatalities from health-related issues is relatively similar to those resulting from occupational accidents.
A higher proportion of deaths from health-related issues occur while the ship is at sea, compared to when it is in port, because at sea there might be a limited access to immediate medical care.
A higher proportion of deaths from occupational accidents occur while the ship is in port, compared to when it is at sea. This is likely to be related to the intensity and variety of physical tasks in port, such as cargo loading and unloading, combined with coordination challenges and high-risk nature of many port operations.
Conclusions
The safety of seafarers is of utmost importance, and a clear understanding of the risks they face is critical to preventing accidents and fatalities. Reliable and consistent data collection and reporting on seafarer fatalities is essential for shaping effective policies that enhance protection and improve safety standards across the global maritime industry.
However, this analysis highlights significant gaps in data availability. There are also issues with data comparability across countries. Variations exist in the types of fatalities reported, and the disaggregation of data by various characteristics of the victims and the vessels. These inconsistencies hinder the comparability of data and its analysis to provide a unified global picture of the situation.
Improving data quality, standardizing reporting practices, and encouraging comprehensive and transparent national reporting are key steps toward strengthening global maritime safety and better protecting those who work at sea.
Concepts and definitions
Seafarers deaths: Seafarers deaths include fatalities resulting from occupational accidents and other accidents related to ship operations, as well as deaths resulting from illness/disease, suicide, person overboard, etc. Definitions of these types of deaths are as follows:
- Illness/disease: Death resulting from illness/disease is any death of a seafarer resulting from any illness or disease that is not the result of an occupational injury. Includes deaths where the death is a natural progression from aging.
- Person Overboard (Presumed Deceased): Any loss of a seafarer resulting from unintentional departure from the ship into the water where there is no direct proof of the person’s death, such as the finding of remains attributable to that person (e.g., a corpse or skeleton).
- Occupational injury: Any death of a seafarer resulting from an occupational accident. Occupational accident is an unexpected and unplanned event, including acts of violence, arising out of or in connection with work (i.e. while engaged in an activity, during the time spent at work or carrying on the business of the employer) resulting in personal injury, disease or death of one or more workers. It includes an occupational injury leading to death within one year of the day of the occupational accident.
- Suicide: Any death of a seafarer on board where the death is resulting from a self-inflicted injuries with evidence of intent to die.
- Other: Includes deaths of a seafarer resulting from events of undetermined intent ( e.g. Poisoning, Alcohol, Accidental overdose of drug, wrong drug/medicaments given or taken in error).
