Shipmaster ‘failed to maintain proper lookout’ before Hong Kong crash that killed off-duty policeman
Mainland Chinese man pleads guilty to two counts relating to fatal accident which took place in waters off Sai Kung last year
Lin Jian, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of endangering the safety of others at sea and another of not providing pre-arrival notification or reporting for permission to enter the waters of Hong Kong.
The fatal accident took place in the waters south of Basalt Island, off the Ninepin Group – 29 islands in the easternmost waters of Hong Kong – on March 18 last year.
The District Court heard Station Sergeant Wong Tak-chung, 55, was fishing with four friends when Lin’s vessel suddenly emerged from thick fog and rammed into the starboard side of his sampan.
The sampan overturned and all six members on board fell into the sea. Wong drowned.
Upon arrest, Lin told police he was not sure if his vessel had collided with anything at the time, but his crew informed him there were people in the water so he rescued them.