HONG KONG and Kowloon Ferry's Sea Smooth captains Lai Sai-ming was jailed eight years for manslaughter and endangering the safety of others at sea in the 2012 Lamma ferry disaster that killed 39.
Mr Justice Brian Keith also jailed Hongkong Electric's Lamma IV captain Chow Chi-wai for nine months for endangering the safety of others at sea, reported Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.
Barrister Audrey Campbell-Moffat said Capt Lai, 56, who spent his working life in local waters, was a man of "good character", who had a blemish-free record.
Barrister Gerard McCoy for Capt Chow, 58, said colleagues praised him a "responsible, calm and safe" person.
The court heard that a survivor of the collision submitted to Mr Keith a letter acclaiming Chow, who is married with two daughters, for his dedication to his duties as he tried his best to comfort the Lamma IV passengers after the collision.
Said Mr McCoy: "What he omitted to do did not cause the collision. The collision was caused by the second and the third turn of the Sea Smooth."
He said Chow was only guilty of a short period of inactiveness which was inconsequential to the collision.
But Lai was convicted by a nine-strong jury by a majority verdict of 7 to 2 for 39 counts of manslaughter, and unanimously for endangering the safety of others at sea.
Chow, however, was acquitted of manslaughter by a majority verdict of 8 to 1 but convicted of endangering the safety of others at sea by the ratio of 7 to 2.
Lai's legal team argued that a missing watertight door could be the cause of the Lamma IV's rapid sinking. The heavy death toll could be due to loose chairs that fell when the passenger launch tilted upwards, and the difficulty of accessing life jackets.
WORLD SHIPPING
23 February 2015 - 21:32
Hong Ferry captain jailed 8 years, other skipper gets 9 months
HONG KONG and Kowloon Ferry's Sea Smooth captains Lai Sai-ming was jailed eight years for manslaughter and endangering the safety of others at sea in the 2012 Lamma ferry disaster that killed 39.
WORLD SHIPPING
23 February 2015 - 21:32
Hong Ferry captain jailed 8 years, other skipper gets 9 months
This news 5692 hits received.
These news may also interest you