The Department of Justice did not have a legal representative at the latest hearing, and To anticipated that Lam would not lean towards an appeal against the ruling.

The Post has contacted the department for comment.

Can the shadow cast by the 2012 Lamma IV sinking at last be lifted?

Following the High Court ruling, To said he expected the inquest to determine if the Marine Department had failed to run some safety tests on the vessel, as well as address inconsistencies between two reports from police and a commission of inquiry.

Philip Chiu Ping-chuen, who lost his sister in the tragedy, said he expected the inquest to explain why one of the vessels sank so quickly.

“Someone should be held accountable, but having the full story come out is the most important thing for us,” he told a radio programme on Thursday.

Authorities released the executive summary of a report conducted by a government-appointed independent commission of inquiry in 2014, but two others compiled by police and the Transport and Logistics Bureau have not been disclosed to the public. They were only presented to lawmakers at the time in a closed-door meeting.

It was in the court’s power to determine whether to disclose reports, To said.

Chiu said the court’s ruling had “opened a door” for families of victims who were still struggling to find answers more than a decade after the tragedy.

The executive summary of the commission’s report said the disaster was linked to “suspected criminality” and 17 unnamed officials were accused of misconduct. It also found that Lamma IV, owned by HK Electric, sank in one minute and 58 seconds because of the absence of a watertight bulkhead door.

To said he had read the commission’s full report and it stated that Sea Smooth, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry vessel that collided with Lamma IV, was made of metal instead of wood. This could have been a contributing factor as to why Lamma IV sank so quickly, but the point was never clarified in the summary, leaving families with questions about why their relatives had died so quickly after the collision, he said.

“Being able to question the witnesses involved is a very important part for the family,” the former lawmaker said, adding if any inconsistencies were found during the inquest, relatives could seek legal advice on reviewing possible criminality by some witnesses.

Chiu did not specify whether he thought the inquest could give the families closure, but said such an outcome could have already been achieved had the government released the full reports years ago.

Hong Kong court orders coroner’s inquest into 2012 Lamma ferry crash

Alice Leung Suk-ling and Ryan Tsui Chi-shing, family members of two victims, said they understood some evidence in the report might have been lost over the years, and some witnesses might have died.

“The puzzle might not be completed, but the inquest is definitely going to reveal more evidence than what we have,” Leung told another radio programme.

After fighting for justice for more than a decade, Leung said, the launch of the inquest was “better late than never”.

Hong Kong leader rejects fresh calls to release full Lamma ferry crash report

To urged anyone who had inside information to “be brave” and speak up with the truth to police or families of victims.

The Court of First Instance initially dismissed an inquest bid by the families in 2022, with the judge saying an appeal was not in the public interest.

An appeal was filed last year after a media report revealed that police had suggested an inquest during their investigation in 2015.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau and HK Electric on Wednesday said they would cooperate fully with the inquiry.