THE captain and nine crew members of a Chinese ship were forced to dive into the sea after a collision with a Russian oil tanker, an inquiry heard yesterday.
The Chinese container ship Lin Jiang capsized and the crew were rescued from the sea in the incident on June 30 last year.
The marine inquiry, which began yesterday before chairman Henry Brazier, is to decide whether the pilot, Hui Man-kit, had been guilty of misconduct, had otherwise failed in or neglected his duties or is otherwise not a fit and proper person to be a licensed pilot.
The inquiry can recommend to the Pilotage Authority that Mr Hui's licence be cancelled or suspended. Richard Stone QC is appearing for Mr Hui.
The collision off Tsing Yi island was while the Russian tanker, Akademic Vekua, was under compulsory pilotage. Two other Chinese vessels were involved, but did not sink.
Senior Crown Counsel Peter Davies told the inquiry that Mr Hui became a Class 1 pilot in January 1991.