FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1988
6
INQUIRY INTO FERRY COLLISION COMPLETED
AN INQUIRY INTO THE COLLISION EARLIER THIS YEAR BETWEEN TWO DISCOVERY BAY FERRIES, NOS. 10 AND 15, HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE EARLY EVENING OF MARCH 14 WHEN THE VESSELS WERE MANOEUVRING IN FOG AT THE ENTRANCE TO DISCOVERY BAY. BOTH VESSELS WERE DAMAGED AND SEVEN PASSENGERS WERE INJURED THEM REQUIRING HOSPITAL TREATMENT.
THE
-
TWO OF
THE OFFICER WHO CONDUCTED THE INQUIRY, CAPTAIN B. B. RAO, MADE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE:
(A) THE CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY OF BOTH MASTERS SHOULD BE
SUSPENDED FOR ONE MONTH;
(B) A MARINE DEPARTMENT NOTICE SHOULD BE ISSUED DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF ALL MASTERS AND OPERATORS TO THE DANGERS OF THE IMPROPER USE OF RADAR AND RADIO TELEPHONES;
(C) A TRAFFIC ROUTEING SYSTEM. OR SOME OTHER EQUIVALENT CONTROL ARRANGEMENT, SHOULD BE INTRODUCED FOR FAST FERRIES OPERATING BETWEEN BLAKE PIER AND DISCOVERY BAY;
(D) MASTERS OF ALL FERRY VESSELS OPERATED BY DISCOVERY BAY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES LIMITED AND FITTED WITH RADAR MUST UNDERGO APPROVED TRAINING ON ITS OPERATION, USE AND LIMITATIONS;
(E) MASTERS OPERATING LICENSED FAST
SHOULD BE TRAINED AND TYPE RATED;
(F) A MARINE
FERRIES OF THE COMPANY
DEPARTMENT LOCAL HIGH SPEED FERRY AND DYNAMICALLY SUPPORTED CRAFT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE FORMED ON WHICH OPERATORS MUST BE REPRESENTED;
THE
(G) THE OPERATION OF FAST FERRY VESSELS BY THE DISCOVERY BAY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES LIMITED SHOULD BE STUDIED IN DETAIL BY MARINE DEPARTMENT ON MATTERS THAT AFFECT SAFE OPERATION OF THE CRAFT AND THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND THAT APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN NECESSARY;
(H) THE STOWAGE POSITION OF THE ANCHOR SHOULD BE REVIEWED.
THE
IF
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID TWO MEETINGS, AT WHICH THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DISCUSSED, HAVE BREN HELD BETWEEN OFFICERS OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DISCOVERY BAY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES LIMITED.
/THE COMPANY