Beyel Brothers barge worker Shaun Cheney was found dead in the Canaveral Barge Canal. Cheney is believed to have fallen off the barge near Dover Avenue on Merritt Island on September 13th. Authorities stated Cheney was on the barge with co-workers when someone noticed he was missing around 10 a.m. No witness to Cheney’s accident has come forward. Mr. Cheney’s brother told media reports that Shaun, “worked on the barges for the last few years, been around boats his whole life, loves the water, never wanted to move away.”

Maritime law requires employers to take reasonable steps for a seaman’s safety as well as provide a seaworthy vessel for the seaman to work aboard. It is not uncommon for maritime employers to fail in their responsibilities in providing a safe barge. The maritime lawyers of BBR are very family with barge accidents and have represented crewmembers against Beyel Brothers in the past.