Ferry left scene as 38 died in HK crash
Source: Agencies |
October 4, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
When two boats filled with people collided on Hong Kong's busy waterways, the impact knocked a hole in one vessel's engine room and the water poured in too fast to stop it from sinking. Passengers struggled to find life vests and dozens drowned in the turbulent waters.
Rather than rush to help, however, the crew of the other vessel, a ferry, seemed paralyzed, according to witnesses. After pausing briefly near the doomed ship filled with holiday revelers, the ferry continued on to its berth.
Shock over Monday's crash, which left 38 dead, gave way to outrage yesterday at what experts said was human error. Investigators have not publicly offered a theory of how the crash occurred but have arrested seven crew members, including both captains. The ferry company denied accusations the boat left immediately afterwards, but did not say whether its crew did anything to help.
The captain of the Sea Smooth ferry was in a hospital with rib injuries yesterday, said Nelson Ng, general manager of Hong Kong and Kowloon (Ferry) Holdings. He said staff members tried to talk to the captain, but he added, "We have to wait for the psychologist's report. ... He doesn't really want to say anything." When asked whether the captain blames himself for the accident, Ng said, "He's emotionally depressed, so I believe he probably does."
All 38 people killed had been on the Lamma IV, a boat owned by utility company Hong Kong Electric, which was taking about 120 of its workers and their families to watch fireworks in celebration of China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Survivors from both boats said that after the crash knocked people from their seats, there was chaos as people rushed for life jackets. About 100 people on both vessels, mostly from Lamma IV, went to hospitals.
Ng told reporters that two young relatives of his were among the dead. "Two children have already left us," he said, wiping away tears.
Three days of mourning were to begin at noon today.
Captain Tony Yeung Pui-keung, manager of the Maritime Services Training Institute in Hong Kong, said the big number of fatalities was due to Lamma IV's rapid partial sinking, only minutes after the engine room was breached and flooded. "I think it was all of the sudden and I think no (one) can make a response in two minutes," Yeung said. "So I think it's difficult. Except for Superman, no people can escape so easily."
Ferry passenger Chris Head said he was thrown off his feet on the open upper rear deck. He said the collision felt like "walking into a lamppost."
"Then someone else on the boat pointed out a dark shape moving away from us and said, 'I think we just hit a boat,' " said Head. The other boat was already listing, and aside from two tiny lights it "just was not lit at all. We couldn't see anyone on it," Head said. He said he couldn't be sure that the lights had been off before the crash.
After Head and the other passengers put on their life jackets, he saw that the other boat had started to "go into a sort of Titanic pose vertically."
Head said the captain kept the ferry in the area for five to 10 minutes before leaving. But he added, "I'm not saying that he was making any effort to rescue. I don't know about that."
Rather than rush to help, however, the crew of the other vessel, a ferry, seemed paralyzed, according to witnesses. After pausing briefly near the doomed ship filled with holiday revelers, the ferry continued on to its berth.
Shock over Monday's crash, which left 38 dead, gave way to outrage yesterday at what experts said was human error. Investigators have not publicly offered a theory of how the crash occurred but have arrested seven crew members, including both captains. The ferry company denied accusations the boat left immediately afterwards, but did not say whether its crew did anything to help.
The captain of the Sea Smooth ferry was in a hospital with rib injuries yesterday, said Nelson Ng, general manager of Hong Kong and Kowloon (Ferry) Holdings. He said staff members tried to talk to the captain, but he added, "We have to wait for the psychologist's report. ... He doesn't really want to say anything." When asked whether the captain blames himself for the accident, Ng said, "He's emotionally depressed, so I believe he probably does."
All 38 people killed had been on the Lamma IV, a boat owned by utility company Hong Kong Electric, which was taking about 120 of its workers and their families to watch fireworks in celebration of China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Survivors from both boats said that after the crash knocked people from their seats, there was chaos as people rushed for life jackets. About 100 people on both vessels, mostly from Lamma IV, went to hospitals.
Ng told reporters that two young relatives of his were among the dead. "Two children have already left us," he said, wiping away tears.
Three days of mourning were to begin at noon today.
Captain Tony Yeung Pui-keung, manager of the Maritime Services Training Institute in Hong Kong, said the big number of fatalities was due to Lamma IV's rapid partial sinking, only minutes after the engine room was breached and flooded. "I think it was all of the sudden and I think no (one) can make a response in two minutes," Yeung said. "So I think it's difficult. Except for Superman, no people can escape so easily."
Ferry passenger Chris Head said he was thrown off his feet on the open upper rear deck. He said the collision felt like "walking into a lamppost."
"Then someone else on the boat pointed out a dark shape moving away from us and said, 'I think we just hit a boat,' " said Head. The other boat was already listing, and aside from two tiny lights it "just was not lit at all. We couldn't see anyone on it," Head said. He said he couldn't be sure that the lights had been off before the crash.
After Head and the other passengers put on their life jackets, he saw that the other boat had started to "go into a sort of Titanic pose vertically."
Head said the captain kept the ferry in the area for five to 10 minutes before leaving. But he added, "I'm not saying that he was making any effort to rescue. I don't know about that."
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