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Map error blamed for crash
02/11/2007 20:28 - (SA)
Athens - A cruise ship accident near the Greek island of Santorini that killed two French tourists in April was caused by a mistake in local nautical charts, the ship's owners said on Friday.
A new hydrographic survey commissioned by Louis Hellenic Cruises has revealed that the reef which the ship struck before sinking was both further from shore and larger than estimated, company officials told a news conference.
"The particular chart dated from 1989, and a weekly notice to mariners issued days before the accident had no changes," LHC fleet operations manager George Koubenas told AFP.
No explanation was given for the alleged mistake in the charts.
The Greek hydrographic service could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lift the fine
LHC has informed the authorities and wants the Greek state to carry out its own research to confirm the findings, hoping they will help lift a fine imposed on the company by the merchant marine ministry over the accident.
The Greek government imposed the €1.174m fine on Cyprus's largest tourism and leisure firm, saying "large sections" of the coast near the site were stricken with pollutants and that rare marine species are at risk.
The company has contested the fine, saying that ongoing cleanup operations have been "extraordinarily effective" and that there has been no deterioration to the local environment.
Over 300 tonnes of fuel have been collected from the surface out of a total 480 tonnes originally on board, Koubenas said.
The 143m Sea Diamond has sunk to a depth of 140m and any attempt to salvage it risks dispersing the remaining fuel on board, company officials said.
The Sea Diamond's captain and five officers have been charged with negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations and polluting the environment.
- AFP
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