XN000022-1990-05-17 — Page 8

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1990

MARINE COURT TO INVESTIGATE CATAMARAN CASUALTY

* * * *

A FORMAL LAST

THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED A MARINE COURT TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT IN DECEMBER YEAR INVOLVING THE HONG KONG REGISTERED VESSEL, APOLLO JET.

MAGISTRATE

LIONEL CURTIS AND

MR HENRY THE COURT IS THE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIER ASSISTED BY TWO MARINE ASSESSORS, MR ALAN WILLIAM MR JOHN TREVOR KAY-RUSSELL.

IT IS INTENDED THAT THE HEARING THIS YEAR.

TAKE WILL

PLACE IN OCTOBER

SPEED

WATER JET PROPELLED HIGH A INVOLVED THE CASUALTY

KONG MACAO HYDROFOIL CATAMARAN, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY HONG

YAU MA TEI WHEN THE VESSEL ENTERED COMPANY LIMITED. IT OCCURRED TYPHOON SHELTER AT SPEED, APPARENTLY OUT OF CONTROL.

THE VESSEL COLLIDED WITH AND STRANDING ON THE SEAWALL.

DAMAGED

SEVERAL

VESSELS

BEFORE

FOUR PERSONS DIED AND SEVEN WERE INJURED AS A RESULT, THE CREW ESCAPED ANY INJURY.

THE CATAMARAN WAS NOT CARRYING PASSENGERS AT THE TIME ON ITS WAY BACK TO ITS OVERNIGHT MOORINGS.

ALTHOUGH

AND WAS

APPOINTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY},

JOHN TSE, INQUIRY

ANNOUNCING THE MARINE COURT'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARINE (SHIPPING), MR CASUALTY HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A PRELIMINARY TWO MARINE DEPARTMENT SURVEYORS,

SAID THE CONDUCTED BY

IT WAS ON THE BASIS OF

THEIR

REPORT

THE THAT

GOVERNOR HAD

APPOINTED A MARINE COURT.

THE ITS MAIN PURPOSE, HE SAID, WAS TO FIND

TO PREVENT A THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE ON MEASURES ALTHOUGH THE OWNERS HAD ALREADY IMPLEMENTED SOME IDENTIFIED BY THE INVESTIGATING SURVEYORS.

CAUSE AND ADVISE ACCIDENT, SIMILAR PREVENTIVE MEASURES

THIS PRESENTING

VERY COMPLEX OF A THE COMMISSIONING

MR TSE SAID: "PREPARATIONS FOR CASE TO COURT ARE WELL ADVANCED AND INCLUDE FURTHER REPORT BY AN EXPERT FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.

AND

THE

OF

EARLIEST

SOME DATE

UNAVAILABILITY "THESE LENGTHY PREPARATIONS MEMBERS OF THE COURT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS MEAN THE THE COURT CAN CONVENE IS OCTOBER."

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