Lamma residents remember ferry disaster victims
About 30 Lamma Island residents and buddhist monks held a ceremony on Tuesday to remember those who died near the island in last year’s ferry disaster, in which two ferries collided leaving 39 people dead.
At 2pm, the group gathered at Nga Kau Wan, where the damaged ferries were docked after the accident, and staged a two-hour ceremony with a fire and food set up at the beach.
Watch: Buddhist monks hold ritual for Lamma ferry crash victims
Led by 17 monks, the group prayed for the victims “to be provided with food, drinks and shelter” in the afterworld.
We hope our prayers can help the deceased reincarnate
”We hope our prayers can help the deceased reincarnate,” said Kelzang Tshulthrim Lama of the Jangchub Phuntsok Ling Buddhist Charity Centre on Lamma Island.
Monks from the centre had also prayed at the same beach right after the accident on October 1 last year.
The government ordered a commission of inquiry to investigate and report on the collision that involved a Hongkong Electric launch and a ferry operated by Hongkong and Kowloon Ferry on National Day of last year.
A Marine Department internal investigation is still ongoing.
The ferry crash was the worst maritime accident in the city since 1977 when a ferry sank, killing 88 people.
Tourist business on Lamma Island on Tuesday was described as normal with thousands of visitors arriving by ferry.
”We did expect a drop in number of visitors today as we experienced for half a month after the accident last year, but it seems the number of visitors is the same as it is on any public holiday,” said an employee of Man Kee restaurant, located on the main street close to the pier.
