Challenge to 'unfair' Lamma ferry disaster findings
Retired ship surveyor seeks a judicial review into damning inquiry report on ferry crash, saying he wants justice for his department
A retired Marine Department ship surveyor is seeking a judicial review that he hopes will overturn a damning report which found serious failings on the part of the department over the Lamma ferry disaster that killed 39 people last year.
Wong Chi-kin, a former general manager of the department's local vessels safety branch, says the 186-page report was "very unfair" to the branch where he worked for more than 30 years.
The tragedy could have been avoided if the two vessels did not collide … or if the two captains were more alert
His application for the review, filed in the High Court, said the report contained wrong information including false accusations against individual Marine Department employees.
He said he hoped the judicial review could bring justice to him and his colleagues.
Wong gave evidence to the inquiry, chaired by Mr Justice Michael Lunn, into the collision between the ferry Sea Smooth and Hongkong Electric launch Lamma IV on October 1 last year.
Captains Chow Chi-wai, of Lamma IV, and Lai Sai-ming, of Sea Smooth, await trial on charges of manslaughter.
In its report, released in April with some sections removed for legal reasons, the commission of inquiry pointed to a "litany of errors" at every stage of the design, construction and inspection of the Lamma IV, which contributed to the rapid sinking of the boat.