That would be quite a fall, and I'm sure we all hope the DS recovers soon.
When you think there can be up to 20 pax pressed into the suspended area when boarding I'm surprised to see there are no safety chains at the top as a fall-back to hold it in place.
If you look at the photograph you will see the most elaborate handrail arrangement round the top of the vertical leg mechanism, doubtless due to some health & safety concern for the occasional maintenance operative, but no safety backup for the main suspended part of the jetty itself where everyone works or walks through, which seems to have had some single-point failure having a close look at the photograph.
Last edited by WHBM; 24th Aug 2006 at 17:48.