INSPECTORS were last night probing how a lorry driver died after his HGV backed into a Merseyside dock.
The 66-year-old’s body was hauled out of the water by police divers after the 12-tonne vehicle became submerged at the Gladstone Dock in Seaforth.
Yesterday the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it was launching a joint investigation with police into the accident.
Emergency services including lifeboat crews, paramedics, Merseyside police and the Port of Liverpool police attended the scene, at around 5pm on Wednesday.
Witnesses working at the dock speculated whether the driver may have fallen ill at the wheel after they saw the lorry reverse into the water.
Inspector Colin Lewis of Merseyside police saw the incident from the force’s helicopter, which happened to be passing overhead.
“An HGV carrying a container was backing up along the quayside and somehow after that it went into the water. The question is why that happened. It’s only the second such incident I’ve seen along the Mersey waterfront in two years.”
Insp Lewis confirmed collision investigators were at the scene and that the lorry had been taken away for safety checks.
He added: “We are investi-gating with the HSE to see what action should be taken.”
It is understood the man was from the Walton area, but his name has not been released.
Insp Lewis said the findings of a post mortem carried out yesterday were “consistent with witness reports”.
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