Lamma Island ferry sinking trial hears of 'substandard' navigation
Prosecutor speaks of a night which turned into terror, chaos and tragedy
The coxswains of both vessels in the 2012 National Day collision off Lamma that caused 39 deaths were guilty of "substandard" navigation that amounted to gross negligence, the High Court heard yesterday.
Outlining the case against both seamen, prosecutor Andrew Bruce SC said "a night which had perhaps promised fun, gathering with family and brilliant fireworks, turned into a scene of terror, chaos and tragedy".
The collision occurred when Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry's Sea Smooth rammed into the port side of Hongkong Electric vessel Lamma IV, which was carrying 124 passengers on a tour to view the celebratory fireworks display over Victoria Harbour.
Lamma IV skipper Chow Chi-wai, 58, and Sea Smooth coxswain Lai Sai-ming, 56, are on trial for unlawfully killing Lamma IV passengers through gross negligence. Each has pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and two counts of endangering the safety of others at sea.
According to the prosecution case, Chow should have seen the navigation lights of the Sea Smooth, which had 62 passengers on board that night.
But the Lamma IV only changed its course slightly to starboard roughly a minute before the incident.