The tragic sinking of a South Korean bulk carrier in the South Atlantic in 2017, which left as many as 22 crewmembers missing, was caused by neglect of maintenance by its operator, a state maritime tribunal ruled Tuesday, reports Yonhap News Agency.
Negligence
The Busan Regional Maritime Safety Tribunal made the decision, recognizing the negligence of the Shipping Company in the sinking of the ship six years ago.
The ship, carrying 260,000 tons of iron ore, suddenly sank while sailing in South Atlantic waters on March 31, 2017. Among her 24 crew members (8 Korean sailors and 16 Filipino sailors), only two Filipino sailors were rescued and the remaining 22 remain missing.
The tribunal, an administrative court committed to identifying the causes of various marine accidents, installed an unauthorized wastewater storage device on the bottom of the ship and did not inspect or strengthen the ship’s hull.
The shipping company was supposed to conduct repairs to safely load cargo on the ship but let the ship set sail without reinforcement, the tribunal said, ordering the company to correct its repair and maintenance practices.
However the tribunal acquitted the Korea Register of Shipping, saying it is difficult to recognize the causal relationship between the ship inspection agency and the sinking of the ship.
The tribunal’s decision is expected to affect civil and criminal proceedings related to the sinking.
The CEO of the company was sentenced by an appellate court in 2021 to six months in prison for violating the Ship Safety Act and is now waiting for the final verdict from the Supreme Court.
In 2022, seven people, including the CEO, were indicted on ship-burying and manslaughter by negligence charges and the related trials are still in progress.
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Source: Yonhap News Agency
