Family of Lamma victims get closure as the truth unveils

Family members of the Lamma victims were finally able to smile and shed tears of relief now that an inquest into the disaster will be held after an 11-year fight.

Thirty-nine 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 the two victims have long fought for an inquest to take place, saying it was in the public’s interest to get to the bottom of the incident. Although new evidence has emerged throughout the years, it has not been considered by a government-commissioned independent inquiry in 2012, or an internal probe by the administration.

Speaking on a radio program Thursday morning, former lawmaker James To Kun-sun, who has been assisting the family members for over a decade, said the inquest also meant the court could order the government to fully disclose documents from the internal probe.

The government back then refused to make public an official internal report into the tragedy, citing the report contained a lot of personal data.

Chiu Ping-chuen, who lost his elder sister Chiu Siu-king in the tragedy, also told the program this morning that all he hopes is for the truth to come to light.

He said the inquest could help family members get to the bottom of Lamma IV’s rapid sinking that day.

The speed at which the vessel sank that day has previously raised questions about the ferry company and government department’s potential negligence and mishandling behind the incident.

Chiu noted that they have received pieces of evidence over the years regarding the tragedy, including the high-speed ferry that collided with Lamma IV - the Sea Smooth – could have been installed with a metal plated bow.

He called on those with information to testify in court.

Chiu also said he was puzzled by the government’s decision not to make the report public, which led him to suspect there was more to the story.

To said for years, the family members were only able to learn about 60 to 70 percent of the whole story, with many critical details still in the dark.

He said many of the details could be important to family members and could also involve public interest in the safety of passengers at sea, or may even reveal systemic issues with authorities.

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lamma inquest at long last

Two able to finally smile as they get their day in court