Sadly, there have been many other similar fatalities - the hazard affects both ships and offshore installations. There are interlocks that should prevent release of the fall hooks unless the load is 'off' (i.e. the lifeboat is floating) - but doing that reliably in a moving seaway isn't simple. So the interlocks themselves become complex and have some failure modes. Previous accidents have included early release as the boat is lowered, but also during recovery, and even during routine checks whilst supposedly secured in place.