A Florida marine pilot has died in a tragic accident while disembarking from a vessel in Panama City on January 12.
Capt. Brady, 46, fell from a pilot ladder as he was leaving the Singapore-flagged bulker Lowlands Luck, which was inbound to port. Despite immediate rescue efforts by the pilot boat operator, Capt. Brady later succumbed to his injuries.
A 2001 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy from Mobile, Alabama, Capt. Brady had served as a Panama City pilot for six years. His death has deeply impacted the St. Andrews Bay pilot community and the wider maritime sector.
In a statement, the St. Andrews Bay Pilots Association described Capt. Brady as a respected and dedicated professional whose loss is felt across the maritime community. He is survived by his fiancée and two young children.
The incident occurred in the presence of Capt. Zak Condon, a fellow Panama City pilot, and Capt. Matt Maelstrop, a Pensacola pilot who was undergoing recurrent training in Panama City at the time.
Authorities are actively investigating the circumstances to determine what led to the fatal fall. Pilot ladder incidents remain a longstanding safety concern in the maritime industry, as transfers between ships and pilot boats are widely regarded as one of the most hazardous parts of a port pilot’s work.
St. Andrews Bay pilots have asked for patience as the investigation continues and urged the Panama City community and maritime industry to focus on supporting Capt. Brady’s family.
