Family of Portsmouth port worker crushed to death say they will never get the answers they want

That is what best friend and family member David Dubrocki told Portsmouth Coroner’s Court about his pal Mieczyslaw Siwak, better known as Mitch, who died after being crushed between two cargo containers.

He told the court that the 34-year-old, originally from Poland but living in Bognor Regis, had come to England in 2004 to create a better future for himself and his son and gained temporary work at the MMD shipping port in Flathouse Quay before getting a permanent job.

David said: ‘He started working as a temporary worker for MMD in 2005 and he said it was the best job ever and he would never find anything better.

‘He was a very sensible person. He worked step by step and first rented a caravan and then a room. Then he rented a flat and then a house and in February 2017 he bought a flat.

‘His idea was that when he bought it and when he was able to he would sublet it and give money to his son for his future education.’

The court heard previously from Mr Siwak’s colleague Justin Gibbons how the pair of them had been working a night shift moving containers on August 25, 2017 when the incident happened.

David said: ‘I think because there was no CCTV recordings we will never find out [what happened].

‘His family has to live with questions. His son has to live with questions that no one will ever have the answer to.

‘‘I know that the family does not blame Justin. They were very good friends.’

Employees also told jurors about how they tried to resuscitate Mitch after the container was moved.

Crane driver Stephen Gregory had just clocked off and he ran to help.

He said: ‘I took my phone out to call an ambulance and then I saw Mitch. I could see he was crushed.’

The court had also heard from several workers about the safety practices used at the site including the height containers were moved at, not staying in safety zones and not always using radio communications.

Mr Gibbons previously said that he and Mitch were using hand gestures instead of radio communications and that containers were carried low to the ground.

Coroner Lincoln Brookes said that the accident ‘couldn't have happened if the container was higher or if there was radio communication.' MMD managing director Mike Sellers was in court yesterday and a statement he had made previously was read to the family and to jurors in which he said the company was ‘full of remorse’.

Mr Sellers also referred to Mr Siwak not having a radio at the time with questions raised if he was using his ‘his mobile to access Facebook’ but that ‘no-one can know if that was the case but he was in an unsafe area’.

He said: ‘Mr Gibbons when moving containers only raised them six to 12 inches off the floor so he would not have seen Mr Siwak at the front of the container.’

There was also concerns raised over the night manager not understanding his responsibilities which Mr Sellers explained meant ‘there was a complete lack of supervision and control.’