Hong Kong’s Marine Department Criticized in Fatal Ferry Collision Report
The official incident report on October’s fatal Hong Kong ferry collision has been released, citing systematic failures in the Marine Department as a main contribution.
The report detailed the lack of children’s lifejackets aboard the vessel, as well as the lack of a watertight door on one boat. It also stated that the Marine Department had not enforced safety standards adequately on the Lamma IV.
Inspectors had declared the vessel compliant with safety standards. However, the lack of a watertight door to the steering gear compartment led to the Lamma IV sinking quickly, reported BBC News. Passenger seats were also not properly secured, causing them to slide and trap some of the victims following the incident.
Hong Kong’s chief executive Leung Chun-ying said the government would take the report seriously, in a public effort to improve marine safety.
In March, the captains of each vessel were charged with numerous counts of manslaughter. Parts of the report have been redacted to ensure they receive a fair trial.
This collision was the worst maritime accident in Hong Kong for over 40 years – killing 39 people, including 8 children.
Source: http://www.maritime-executive.com/
Leave a reply