My Take | Inquest into the Lamma ferry disaster offers overdue justice
- Relatives of those who died have waited long enough to hear the full truth about what happened and may finally be able to find closure
Hong Kong, with its famous harbour, free port and more than 250 islands, is inseparable from the sea. The city has a rich maritime history and boat trips are a feature of daily life.
It could be a short jaunt on the Star Ferry, a journey to the outlying islands or a pleasure cruise on a junk. Most trips are smooth, efficient and safe.
This is why the Lamma ferry disaster, on October 1, 2012, came as such a shock. Two passenger vessels collided on the night of the national day fireworks. It took less than two minutes for one of them, the Lamma IV, to sink. The tragedy cost 39 people, including eight young children, their lives.
The disaster raised a simple but fundamental question: How could this happen? Almost 11 years later, the full truth is still not known.
That should now change. The Court of Appeal has ordered a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances. This should have taken place long ago.
Instead, there was a public inquiry, several criminal trials, an internal government investigation and a police probe. The findings led a coroner, in 2020, to decide an inquest was unnecessary despite a police recommendation one be held. The grieving relatives of those who died were, understandably, not satisfied, believing the full picture has not emerged.
