Safety Negligence to Blame for Trawler Sinking

Published Apr 9, 2015 9:24 AM by The Maritime Executive

Deliberate negligence of safety regulations appears to be to blame for the sinking of the Russian Dalniy Vostok trawler last week, in which 56 crew died.

The Dalniy Vostok sank in the icy Sea of Okhotsk off Russia's far eastern coast last Thursday. Sixty-three people were rescued out of a crew of 132 people, with 13 still missing and presumed dead.

Many past Russian disasters have been blamed on negligence or violation of safety regulations.

"There are no doubts that this is a crime at the base of which lies the greed of the businessmen who owned the vessel and corrupt officials," Vladimir Markin, the Investigative Committee spokesman, told Rossiya 1 television, TASS news agency reported.

Both the owner of this vessel and the captain knew that in the fuel tanks there was a minimal amount of fuel; the trawler's ability to right itself was affected.

Markin said investigators had established that there were not enough lifeboats on the Dalniy Vostok for over 20 crew members. It was also reported that the ship only had an estimated one-fifth of the ballast required to keep it upright and stable.

"We know that on board there were a large number of foreigners who were working there illegally. We know who brought them in and by what means," he said.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has detained the deputy director of Magellan LLC, the company that owned the trawler, and a warrant has been issued for the company’s director, who is reported to be in South Korea.