Police and independent investigation team to probe ferry disaster
The survivors of the sunken ferry the MV Rabaul Queen this morning petitioned the National Government calling on it to conduct an immediate investigation into the freak boating accident. The petition was presented to the Minister for National Planning Sam Basil at the Morobe Provincial Disaster centre in Lae.
Amongst other things, people claim that the boat is not sea worthy and the crew had not considrered the safety of passengers. The owners of the shipping company have not released any official record of the passenger list (manifest) but one survivor of the accident claimed about 600 people boarded the ferry when it departed Kimbe on Wednesday.
Police have been asked to treat the accident as “criminal” in nature due to the negligence of the company to overload people on board.
Almost half of that number many of them school students have been found alive following the disaster and the rescue efforts yesterday. The other half of people , mainly women, young children and some elderly people have not been accounted for so far and authorities believe they may have perished in the rough seas when the ship went down.
Minister Basil promised that the Government will be bringing in an independent investigation team from abroad to probe the accident similar to the Tongan ferry disaster last year.
Basil said the National Executive Council will meet next Monday to discuss the issue while, K500 thousand kina will be released immediatley to the Morobe Disaster Office to conduct searches for any more survivors.
The search today was called off due to strong wind and rough seas in the area. An appeal has been made to people in maritime provinces and coastal areas to look out for any bodies that may be washed ashore in the next few days.
MV Kris which went down in Cape Gloscester in West New Britain and MV Sarasong which sank at St George Channel in New Ireland some years back are owned by Peter Sharp. MV Rabaul Queen is the third fatality of Mr Sharp.
Amongst other things, people claim that the boat is not sea worthy and the crew had not considrered the safety of passengers. The owners of the shipping company have not released any official record of the passenger list (manifest) but one survivor of the accident claimed about 600 people boarded the ferry when it departed Kimbe on Wednesday.
Police have been asked to treat the accident as “criminal” in nature due to the negligence of the company to overload people on board.
Almost half of that number many of them school students have been found alive following the disaster and the rescue efforts yesterday. The other half of people , mainly women, young children and some elderly people have not been accounted for so far and authorities believe they may have perished in the rough seas when the ship went down.
Minister Basil promised that the Government will be bringing in an independent investigation team from abroad to probe the accident similar to the Tongan ferry disaster last year.
Basil said the National Executive Council will meet next Monday to discuss the issue while, K500 thousand kina will be released immediatley to the Morobe Disaster Office to conduct searches for any more survivors.
The search today was called off due to strong wind and rough seas in the area. An appeal has been made to people in maritime provinces and coastal areas to look out for any bodies that may be washed ashore in the next few days.
MV Kris which went down in Cape Gloscester in West New Britain and MV Sarasong which sank at St George Channel in New Ireland some years back are owned by Peter Sharp. MV Rabaul Queen is the third fatality of Mr Sharp.
Categories: Papua New Guinea
Peter Sharp, Rabaul Queen, Rabaul Shipping
Public speaks out on the Rabaul Queen disaster
Conveyed by a surviver to his sister:“There werent any emergency procedures or demonstrations when they got on the ship and the shipping agency didn’t limit passenger intakes. Due to the bad weather and high seas the ship tipped over towards the right hand side and ONLY the fit and the ones outside the landing jumped off for their lifes, the ones in the cabins couldn’t due to time limitations and panic. It took 2 minutes for the ship to sink. The first 109 survivors was rescued by a north korean/mongolian ocean liner on its way to Australia. The rest was from a local boat. None of it was Australian Army or PNG navy nor the disaster authority boats. The newspapers raft boat pictures not all true.”
A ship passenger:
“I’ve travelled from POM to Alotau and I have never ever seen some sort of ship’s manifest. There is no sort of roll call done when u leave port and arrive at your destination. No safety talks or no word on where life jackts, life boats and safety gear are located. BIG ZERO. But we keep travelling on these boats coz it is cheaper than the airlines! Its lyk they shud put up a HUGE sign on the boat which reads “BOARD AT YOUR OWN RISK”…
A commentator:
A survivors relative:“There’s more than meets the eye. Ask those in authorities why Rabaul Shipping (Peter Sharp) continues 2 operate despite all these risky activitis taking place…. look @ Condor…lapun na hamas yias m bin ron (in d past)?? We PNGeans tolerate too much of these risky behaviour, knowing its not right…like over loading..”
My Uncle …with his wife, 2 daugthers and his only son. He called this morning and said that his wife could only save the girls leaving his son in the bottom cabin.
Another passenger:
HAVING TRAVELLED THIS ROUTE IN THE PAST VIA THE “QUEENS”, UPON PURCHASE OF A TICKET YOUR NAME GETS ENTERED UPON PURCHASE OF A TICKET. (IN A RECEIPT BOOK OF SOME SORT) BUT, YOU DON’T GET ACCOUNTED FOR WHEN U BOARD OR LEAVE THE VESSEL(S). HOPE ITS NOT THE CASE NOW.
Another commentator:
Peter Sharp only cares bout his $ not lives. His ships are forever over loaded…that’s nothing new. But nothing is ever done to address that…ol man kalap na pulmapim boat tasol…
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