An inquiry into the October 1 sea collision involving a Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Company vessel, Sea Smooth, and the Hongkong Electric ferry, Lamma IV which left 39 dead, has heard that the two vessels were on a collision course for roughly two minutes before their 8:23 pm collision.

Not until about half a minute after the radar signatures of the two vessels merged into a single mass was there a radio call, by the coxswain of Sea Smooth, to the Marine Department Vessel Traffic Centre.

As the inquiry began the hearing, technical testimony revealed the two vessels' radar tracks, as provided by police, the Marine Department and from the GPS systems on board the vessels.

Commissioners heard further testimony that seats, apparently loosely bolted on Lamma IV, were upended by the collision and may have impeded escape from the stricken ship. But it was the long delay, during which neither vessel attempted evasive action, aroused the greatest concern.

The first minute of the emergency call from Sea Smooth was badly garbled. The Marine Department dispatcher tried several times to ascertain the ferry's identity, position and condition.

"Water is flooding into the vessel's port, its starboard side.Water is flooding into the vessel," Sea Smooth's coxswain exclaimed in a translated transcript.

Sea Smooth was underway on a regular Central to Lamma Island route when it came into a collision course with Lamma IV, carrying more than 100 Hongkong Electric staff and family members on their way from Lamma Island to Victoria Harbor to view the National Day fireworks. All of the dead were on board Lamma IV.

According to Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry Paul Shieh, the sea was calm. The night was clear with good visibility. Both vessels came within visual range of each other at a distance of 2 nautical miles. The radar contacts were clean.

The commission was shown photographs of Lamma IV's perforated hull. The vessel sustained two long vertical gashes trailing well below the water line on the port side, where the twin-hulled Sea Smooth struck the vessel.

Photos of the upper deck showed uprooted seats which flew off their moorings as a result of the collision, possibly trapping passengers, including those with life preservers in the passenger cabin, Shieh said.

It took less than five minutes for Lamma IV to sink, according to the evidence, he added.

Following the collision, Sea Smooth left the scene, and berthed safely at Lamma Island.

Expert and technical testimonies will be taken before the inquiry hears passenger testimony.

Passenger testimonies will follow and will cover aspects such as whether there was a safety demonstration prior to departure, whether there were warning signals and the physical condition of the craft and its seats.

Matters concerning life jackets such as the availability of child-sized vests will be probed and commissioners will hear descriptions of the chaotic scene inside the cabins after the crash.

Rescuers' and first responders' testimony will come later.

Thirty-nine witnesses are expected to be called during the half-year probe.

Following Shieh's opening remarks, Senior Counsel James McGowan read a letter from Hongkong Electric Managing Director Tso Kai-sum, pointing out that the company is reviewing its procedures to improve security and safety aboard its ferries and at company events.The company has also set up a public donation drive which has collected HK$6.3 million.

Since its inception on October 22, the inquiry has been gathering evidence from the police, the Fire Services Department and Marine Department, statements from survivors, witnesses and first responders, 999 emergency calls, seized documents from the ferry companies and radar tracking data taken from the Marine Department's Vessel Traffic Centre.

The inquiry has also enlisted the services of Anthony Armstrong of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects to receive his expert analysis as well as Trinity House's Captain Nigel Robert Pryke who will testify on Thursday at the earliest.

Shueh said the inquiry would not cover civil or criminal liabilities and that the assignment of guilt would be in the domain of the courts.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Senior Counsel Kevin Zervos, has previously stated that his department is considering manslaughter charges against some of the crew members on board the two vessels.

tim@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 12/13/2012 page1)