Two Hong Kong maritime officials facing charges over a vessel collision which claimed 39 lives in 2012 will go on trial on 26 May.
Ping-chi So, 58, Hong Kong Marine Department assistant director, was charged with one count of misconduct in public office, while retired senior boat inspector, Kam-ching Wong, 60, was charged with perjury, the local police department said.
So and Wong have been ordered to appear in the District Court on May 26 to enter their pleas.
On 1 October 2012, high-speed ferry Sea Smooth and pleasure boat Lamma IV collided off Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island, Hong Kong. Lamma IV sank shortly after the collision; all the casualties, which included 92 injured, came from the pleasure boat.
In April 2014, 17 Marine Department officials were found responsible for the collision, according to an internal investigation conducted by the Transport and Housing Bureau.
In February, Sea Smooth’s captain, Sai-ming Lai, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of 39 counts of manslaughter and endangering the safety of others at sea.
Chi-wai Chow, the captain of Lamma IV, was sentenced to nine months in jail for endangering the safety of others at sea. He was acquitted of manslaughter by a jury.
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.
