A decade of malaise contributed to the deaths of 39 people in Lamma ferry disaster, families say
Relatives speak out after damning report by the Ombudsman last week said Marine Department delayed pursuing stringent follow-up action for several years after completing investigation reports into previous incidents
The families of several victims in the 2012 Lamma ferry collision believe the disaster could have been prevented if marine officials had conducted proper follow-up work on their marine accident investigations in the decade leading up to it – a problem laid bare in a damning report by the Ombudsman last week.
Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun, who has been helping the families, said an internal government probe and further criminal investigation were necessary.
He is to meet with high-level officials from the marine police this week.
“If we have to give a statement to file another police report, we will. We’ll just give them this,” To said, pointing to the Ombudsman’s report, published last week, which pointed to at least five cases since 2005 in which the Marine Department had delayed pursuing stringent follow-up action for several years after completing an investigation report.
The watchdog’s probe was initiated in light of the Lamma disaster, which killed 39 people.
In the most serious delay, the department took over eight years upon completion of a report to take retrospective action.
