Pare 5.
6
10.
Wo accept the evidence of the Aoting Port
Health Officer that four of the survivors died after
leaving the "Hong Kheng", and also his assurances that
none of these deaths could be attributed to the casualty
but that all four persons had died of natural causes.
We find:-
11.
(a)
(b)
That the 3.8. "Hong Kheng" was lost by strand-
ing on the Reef Island rocks having been set off her course by an unusual current.
That the Master of the vessel is responsible
for two omissions in that he failed to avail himself of the advice afforded by the "Sailing Directions" and also that he failed to take soundings in circumstances which clearly indicated their necessity.
We commend the action of the Master in considering the lives of the passengers as being of prior immortance to any ime- diate attempt to refloat the vessel which might well have resulted in the vessel foundering in deep water with a probably heavy loss of life.
We have carefully reviewed the evidence and considered all attendant circumstances, and we are unanimously agreed that Captain Douglas Ronald Bannerman must be consured but we do not find it necessary to either suspend or cancel his Certificate of Com- petency as Master of a Foreign-going steamship.
12. In conclusion, we wish to place on record our
high appreciation of the splendid and seamanlike action
taken by the Commanding Officers of the U.S.S. "Hawking"
and "Fox", H. M.S. "Hart", U.S.S.R. S.S. "Nahodka", S.S.
"Hunan" and the S.T. "Caroline Moller" all of whan by
their united efforts saved the entire passengers and
crew totalling over 1,800 persons and brought them
safely to Hong Kong after ministering to their needs.
We also wish to express our appreciation of the
good work done by the Hong Kong Medical Department who
made all the necessary arrangements to receive the mmT*-- vivors and attendto their confort.
Marine Court, Hong Kong. Sd. James Jolly - President 31st July, 1947. 9d. Felix Edward Neville-Tovle- Member. Sd. Redvers Endicott Smith - Member.