No jackets so children had to use life raft
General manager says there was also an unfair increase in the Lamma IV's crew requirement from the Marine Department
A senior Hongkong Electric executive said yesterday he knew there were no life jackets for children on the Lamma IV, which sank last year killing 39 people, including eight children, but he believed they could use the vessel's life raft in an emergency.
General manager of the company's generation division Francis Cheng Cho-ying also told the commission of inquiry into the October 1 tragedy how he worked around a sudden and "unfair" increase in the vessel's minimum crew requirement without hiring extra staff.
Cheng, whose tasks include overseeing the company's marine section, said he knew there would be children on the National Day fireworks-viewing voyage that ended in a collision with the public ferry Sea Smooth.
Asked why the company did not arrange any children's life jackets, he said: "A life raft is provided on our vessel and I believe children can use a life raft in normal circumstances," adding that children's jackets were not required under the licence.
He also said the responsibility for evaluating the risk of the trip fell on his subordinate, marine officer Tang Wan-on, who is due to testify later.
Cheng said there were 65 lifebuoys on the Lamma IV, each catering for two people.
Together with 92 life jackets and a life raft for 10, the safety equipment was enough for the total capacity of 232.