Over two years after it was completed and at 7.30pm on the eve of a public holiday, the Government finally releases the full Lamma ferry disaster report. Conducted by Justice Michael Lunn and Benjamin Tang JP and completed in April 2013 the full report makes depressing reading. The levels of incompetence, negligence and lack of basic nautical common sense of both boat’s captains is staggering. Collision avoidance at sea is simple – both boats turn to starboard (right). It’s such a basic rule of the sea, so that boat captains even when not being able to communicate know what the other boat will do.
The part of the report that deals with the Marine Department, boat regulation and inspection matches the levels of incompetence of the boat captains. But, it’s also very Hong Kong. If no written records are kept or written instructions given then no-one can lose face and be blamed if things go wrong / rules broken etc. It becomes a case of he said/ she said as all parties clamour to avoid responsibility.
The negligence of the boat captains of the Sea Smooth and the Lamma IV who both to different degrees are culpable was tragically magnified by the lack of safety equipment, simple crew failures, the construction of the boat and the failure of the Marine Department to properly inspect and enforce the relevant regulations.
You can read/download the full report here.