Families Still Seek Answers 13 Years After Deadly Lamma IV Ferry Sinking

Relatives and survivors of the 2012 Lamma IV ferry disaster are again waiting for a coroner's ruling after an inquest hearing was adjourned. The Lamma IV sank in under two minutes on October 1, killing 31 adults and eight children. Families who have fought for years say the delayed ruling prolongs their search for accountability and closure.

What happened

On October 1, 2012, Philip Chiu, his wife and their two-year-old daughter boarded the small Lamma IV to watch fireworks in Victoria Harbour. Chiu recalled seeing a bright object approaching and then being struck at high speed. "By the time I recognised it as another vessel, it was too late," he said. The ferry capsized and sank in less than two minutes; Chiu's elder sister was later found trapped and did not survive.

Inquiry findings and legal outcomes

A 2013 judge-led commission concluded that the rapid sinking was central to the catastrophic loss of life. Although water should have been limited to two of the vessel's six watertight compartments, a missing door allowed a third compartment to flood and doomed the ferry. The commission described "a litany of errors" across the ship's design, construction and inspection.

Court proceedings resulted in jail terms for the two helmsmen of the other vessel involved and for two Marine Department employees who failed to ensure the ferry carried child-sized lifejackets. A separate government inquiry alleged misconduct by 17 Marine Department officers; names and the full report were withheld for privacy reasons.

Families' long struggle

Bereaved relatives, including sales manager Alice Leung, pressed for a formal inquest after years of legal and bureaucratic obstacles. "This incident is more complex than a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle," Leung said, describing the decade-long search for answers. The recent inquest heard testimony from 84 witnesses, many speaking publicly for the first time.

"For even the smallest details, the families want to know. His death was too sudden, too pointless," Leung said after learning how her 23-year-old brother died.

Architectural photographer Ryan Tsui, who lost his brother and niece, described the campaign for truth as a personal "blood feud." He said testimony left him stunned as witnesses repeatedly distanced themselves from responsibility for the missing watertight door, a defect traced to the local shipyard where the ferry was built.

Accountability, reform and aftermath

Survivors and families have criticised the government for systemic failings. "The government bears major responsibility," Chiu said, warning that without cultural change similar mistakes could recur. The Marine Department says it has since amended marine safety laws and created a dedicated unit to rigorously review vessel construction and modifications.

Official figures indicate the average annual death toll from marine accidents in Hong Kong fell from 7.6 before 2012 to 3.3 after 2012, though accident numbers remained broadly unchanged. The coroner will determine the medical causes of death at a future hearing but cannot impose penalties; criminal and civil accountability proceed through separate legal channels.

The disaster left lasting scars: Chiu suffered permanent hearing damage and long-term claustrophobia, while others say the ordeal changed their lives permanently. Families continue to press for transparent answers and stronger safety oversight so that the loss of 39 lives is not repeated.