Appeal Court orders inquest into Lamma ferry disaster
The Court of Appeal on Wednesday ordered the Coroner’s Court to hold an inquest into the Lamma ferry disaster, nearly 11 years on from the tragedy. 39 people were killed on National Day in 2012, when Lamma IV – a boat carrying people to watch a fireworks display over Victoria Harbour – collided with a passenger ferry off Lamma Island. The relatives of two of the victims had long fought for an inquest to take place, saying it was in the public’s interest to get to the bottom of the incident.  They argued that new evidence had emerged in the case, and that those new information had not been considered by a government-commissioned independent inquiry in 2012, or an internal probe by the administration. The evidence included the long working hours of seafarers, and the substandard coaming of the Lamma IV. In rejecting the application last year, High Court judge Russell Coleman said he wasn't convinced that an inquest was in the public interest. But three appeal judges, Jeremy Poon, Susan Kwan and Carlye Chu, quashed the ruling and ordered the Coroner's Court to look into the deaths of the two victims. "We also wish to express our deepest sympathy to the victims’ families for their loss," they wrote in the judgement.   "We earnestly hope that when the inquest is concluded, there will be closure to all of them, which is regrettably long overdue." One of the appellants, Leung Shuk-ling, told RTHK that she welcomes the appeal court’s decision.  She said the truth must be told and called on all stakeholders, including the survivors, as well as police, fire services and marine officials, to tell the court everything they know. The government, for its part, said in a statement that it is aware of the court ruling and will do everything necessary to cooperate with the proceedings.