During a pilot disembarkation, the pilot ladder on a dry cargo vessel failed as the pilot was climbing down. Both ropes on the ladder parted simultaneously, causing the pilot to fall approximately 2 meters onto the launch deck below. The pilot sustained injuries to his ankle in a considerable lost time accident. Investigations show there are many similar incidents around the world involving failures of pilot ladders, which have no secondary safety measures. Repeated failures on larger vessels could result in significantly longer falls and greater risks of injury for pilots.