Ukrainian investigators question mainland crew

A Ukrainian team investigating the collision that sank a tugboat off Tuen Mun has been allowed to meet crew members of the mainland vessel involved.

But the Ukrainian ambassador said the meeting had not helped.

Yesterday's meeting came a day after Vasily Shevchenko, the second deputy transport and communication minister, who is heading the investigation team, said they had been denied access to the Yaohai's crew.

Ukrainian inspectors, a diplomat and representatives of the Hong Kong Marine Department met Yaohai's master and another crew member. But Serhiy Kamyshev, the country's ambassador to China, said: 'The meeting was not effective.'

Mr Kamyshev said the two mainlanders claimed they were ill and did not answer many of the questions put to them. The Ukrainian delegation left shortly afterwards, taking home the bodies of two of the sailors.

A Marine Department spokesman declined to comment on the meeting.

The Ukrainian tugboat sank on March 22 after colliding with the Yaohai cargo ship. Eighteen crew were trapped on board. Three bodies have been recovered.

Representatives of Chornomornaftogaz, the Crimea-based company that owns the Neftegaz-67, are now leading the investigation.

The mainland, Hong Kong and Ukraine were conducting three parallel crash investigations, Mr Kamyshev said. His team knew little about the mainland investigation, though it 'has been ready to get the three parties together from the very first day'.

The Ukrainian commission sent mainland and Hong Kong authorities a list of its experts but had not received the mainland's list, he said.

It was unclear when the three governments would share their findings, but Mr Kamyshev said Ukraine would file a report soon in accordance with International Maritime Organisation standards.

'The cause of the crash is being ascertained,' Mr Shevchenko said when asked about his findings. He declined to say whether miscommunication was a factor in the collision.

Earlier, Agence France-Presse news agency said the Neftetgaz-67 collided with the Yaohai after it had received permission to proceed on its projected path.

The Shanghai Changjiang International Shipping Agency has been reported as the Yaohai's operator. But a company official reached by telephone yesterday said the firm knew nothing about the ship and declined further comment.