THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1989
JETFOIL ACCIDENT REPORT RELEASED
THE GROUNDING THE SUMMARY OF A PRELIMINARY INQUIRY REPORT ON
"FUNCHAL" IN MACAU WATERS LAST OF THE HONG KONG REGISTERED JETFOIL OCTOBER WAS RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY).
WERE REPORTED
INJURED IN
THE
ACCIDENT HONG KONG
MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE WHICH OCCURRED IN THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 16 SOON AFTER THE BOUND JETFOIL LEFT THE MACAU PIER.
OF MARINE
A
PRELIMINARY
ORDERED SUBSEQUENTLY THE DIRECTOR
A DETAILED INQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE ACCIDENT AND
HAD WHO
ACCEPTED THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR, RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CONVENING OF MARINE COURT WAS UNNECESSARY.
MR ALLAN PYRKE, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARINE (SHIPPING),
THERE WAS THAT
EVIDENCE NO SAID AT
PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY'S WHATSOEVER OF ANY HUMAN ERROR CAUSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT.
WERE CARRIED OUT DURING COMPREHENSIVE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS
THAT THE THE INVESTIGATION AND SHOWED THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION OR CREW NEGLIGENCE.
CAUSE
THE OF
ACCIDENT
"THE MOST PROBABLE CALLED 'STRUT VENTILATION' OR 'FOILBORNE SKID'.
IS A
PHENOMENON
THE
MOST COMMON OF SHEETINGS BEING
"THIS CAN HAPPEN THROUGH SEVERAL CAUSES, WHICH IS RUBBISH, SUCH AS DISCARDED ROPES OR PLASTIC
MR PYRKE SAID. CAUGHT ON THE FORWARD STRUT,
"
MR
PYRKE SAID THE BEEN ACCEPTED BY
TO AVOID SIMILAR ACCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE, REPORT HAD MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH HAD THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE.
THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED:
*
A
FOILBORNE SKID ALARM SHOULD OR STRUT VENTILATION INSTALLED ON JETFOILS, IF POSSIBLE;
BE
AREAS OF
THE
то ALL PASSENGER
AND SEATS SEAT BELTS SHOULD BE FITTED
SHOULD BE WORN. ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE TO RECOMMEND THAT THEY
WEAR SEAT BELTS IN THE ALSO, A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT TO
BE HARBOURS SHOULD
CAREFULLY HIGHER RISK
CONSIDERED;
*
SEATS, FITTED WITH CHANNEL AND HONG KONG ACCIDENT, AND BE IN A
THE CABIN CREW SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH SAFETY BELTS, FOR USE IN THE MACAU HARBOUR TO ENSURE THAT, IN THE EVENT OF A SIMILAR THEY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF AVOIDING INJURY POSITION TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO THE PASSENGERS;
1"
AS