OOCL found guilty in accidental death of employee
Company won't rule out appeal against involuntary manslaughter verdict over fatal lift accident 11 years ago that claimed life of long-time employee
Orient Overseas Container Line has been found guilty in a French court of involuntary manslaughter over the death 11 years ago of Courtenay Allan, one of its senior executives, and was fined €50,000 (HK$529,000).
The verdict by the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Le Havre came out on Wednesday, following a long campaign by Allan's three sons against OOCL.
According to Allan's youngest son, Hayden, who learned of the verdict from the lawyer representing the family, there is a period of 10 days in which an appeal can be lodged.
"While OOCL believes that closure of this long-running matter would be in the best interest of all concerned, as the reason for the judgment is not out yet, the company's lawyers are unable to advise the company if an appeal against the judgment should be considered," said Stephen Ng, a spokesman for the Hong Kong shipping line.
Allan, a British national, was OOCL's London-based transatlantic trades director at the time of his death. He fell down a lift shaft on the container ship OOCL Montreal during a customer cocktail reception aboard the vessel during its maiden voyage in the French port city of Le Havre.
The court heard earlier that the lift had malfunctioned before Allan's fatal accident.
The ship was delivered in May 2003, about two months before the accident.