Woman, 58, Volunteering On Historic Ship Falls 60 Feet To Death From Mast

A Texas woman fell from the mast of a historic ship while it was docked at Galveston’s seaport museum.

The 58-year-old woman was a volunteer on the 1877 historic boat, Elissa, and was working aboard the ship when she fell from a height of about 60 feet around noon, Port of Galveston Police Chief Kenneth Brown said. Officials believe the death was an accident, and Port of Galveston Police Department is investigating her death, according to the Daily News.

Brown said the woman was wearing a safety harness while working on the ship. However, the harness unclipped from the safety lines while she was on the mast and she plunged to her death.

"She was wearing her fall protection harness and on those harnesses, you're supposed to have two points of contact as you're moving from one place to the other," Brown told the outlet. "You always keep one connected. You disconnect one and then you connect it elsewhere before you unhook the other one so you can move."

"We're not sure exactly what happened that she wasn't double-clipped in," he continued. "When she went to move from one location to another, she apparently slipped and fell."

The Galveston Historical Foundation, which operates the ship and the museum, confirmed through a spokesperson that an individual died aboard the ship Saturday. Will Wright, the spokesperson for the foundation, declined to provide more information about the death and said the foundation was waiting to notify the woman’s family before releasing more details about her identity.

“It’s an accident,” Brown said, according to KPRC. “There’s no foul play. [Just] a tragic accident.”

Elissa, with its tallest mast standing at about 99 feet, was scheduled to remain closed last week in light of the woman’s death, Wright said.

ABC13 Houston reported that more than 40,000 people visit the ship and museum every single year. The 1877 Tall Ship was restored and transformed into a floating museum that actively sails; several volunteers work to maintain the ship and ensure that it is still able to sail through waters.