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Victims’ families bitter as China blames weather for Yangtze disaster Victims’ families bitter as China blames weather for Yangtze disaster
(1 day later)
BEIJING — Relatives of those who died on board a cruise ship that sank on the Yangtze River expressed bitterness and dismay after the Chinese government issued an official report this week principally blaming bad weather for a disaster that killed 442 people.BEIJING — Relatives of those who died on board a cruise ship that sank on the Yangtze River expressed bitterness and dismay after the Chinese government issued an official report this week principally blaming bad weather for a disaster that killed 442 people.
Although the government also recommended that the captain and 43 other people should face punishment for their role in the sinking of the Eastern Star, relatives said the government appeared to be playing down human error to avoid embarrassment. Although the government also recommended that the captain and 43 other people face punishment for their role in the sinking of the Eastern Star, relatives said the government appeared to be playing down human error to avoid embarrassment.
“The whole report is a lie, and they made it up to escape responsibility,” said a 63-year-old man whose wife drowned. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid harassment by police. “I just feel deeply helpless. There was no transparency in the investigation.” “The whole report is a lie, and they made it up to escape responsibility,” said a 63-year-old man whose wife drowned in the sinking. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid harassment by police. “I just feel deeply helpless. There was no transparency in the investigation.”
The ship’s captain was among 12 people who survived China’s worst peacetime maritime disaster, which occurred on a June evening during a 10-day cruise on the Yangtze. The ship’s captain was among 12 who survived China’s worst peacetime maritime disaster, which occurred on the evening of June 1 last year during a 10-day cruise on the Yangtze.
The cabinet’s investigative team concluded the disaster was “caused by strong winds and heavy rains resulting from a squall line accompanied by a downburst, a very rare weather phenomenon,” the Xinhua News Agency said. The cabinet’s investigative team concluded that the disaster was “caused by strong winds and heavy rains resulting from a squall line accompanied by a downburst, a very rare weather phenomenon,” the Xinhua News Agency said.
Xinhua said the investigation team “suggested” that 43 people — including local government and Communist Party officials, maritime regulators and shipping company executives — should be given administrative punishments, which could include demotions and firings. Xinhua said the investigative team “suggested” that 43 people — including local government and Communist Party officials, maritime regulators and shipping company executives — be given administrative punishments, which could include demotions and firings.
It also recommended that captain Zhang Shunwen should have his license revoked and his contract terminated, while legal authorities should investigate whether he should face criminal charges. It also recommended that the professional certification of the ship’s captain, Zhang Shunwen, be revoked and that legal authorities investigate whether he should face criminal charges.
[Survivor recounts harrowing ordeal on board sinking China cruise ship][Survivor recounts harrowing ordeal on board sinking China cruise ship]
But relatives of several victims said the report appeared to play down or ignore the criminal responsibilities of various people who allowed an unsafe ship to ply the river. But relatives of several victims said the report appeared to play down or ignore what they considered to be the criminal responsibility of various people for allowing a ship they described as unsafe to ply the river.
“This report has obviously played up the role of weather but hidden the responsibilities of the administration and business,” said a women whose mother died. “This report has obviously played up the role of weather but hidden the responsibilities of the administration and business,” said a woman whose mother died in the sinking.
“The real reasons for the accident were not shown until the end of the report,” she said, citing references to unsafe modifications to the ship, as well as a lack of maintenance, crew training and preparation for emergencies. “Nobody has been charged with any crimes.” “The real reasons for the accident were not shown until the end of the report,” she said, citing references to unsafe modifications to the ship, as well as a lack of maintenance, inadequate crew training and preparation for emergencies. “Nobody has been charged with any crimes.”
Other relatives complained that the report appeared to ignore the question of whether the captain and surviving crew members had abandoned ship too early. “If they had time to escape, why didn’t they inform the passengers?” asked Zheng Qian, whose husband’s parents died onboard. Other relatives complained that the report appeared to ignore the question of whether the captain and surviving crew members had abandoned ship too early. “If they had time to escape, why didn’t they inform the passengers?” said Zheng Qian, whose husband’s parents died on the vessel.
Zheng said relatives had been contacted by the government to ask if they had any questions about the report. “We have a lot of questions,” she said, adding that she and her husband wanted to see the evidence and data that led investigators to their conclusion. Zheng said relatives had been contacted by the government to ask whether they had any questions about the report. “We have a lot of questions,” she said, adding that she and her husband wanted to see the evidence and data that led investigators to their conclusion.
“We don’t trust the report,” she added. “We think the problem is the ship — it was all because of the ship and the captain.” “We don’t trust the report,” she added. “We think the problem is the ship. It was all because of the ship and the captain.”
Victims’ relatives have long complained about a lack of information during the investigation and about being asked to sign away their right to ask questions in return for compensation. Their efforts to find the truth have met with obstruction, harassment and surveillance, they say. Victims’ relatives have long complained about a lack of information during the investigation and about being asked to sign away their right to ask questions in return for compensation. Their efforts to get information have been met with obstruction, harassment and surveillance, they say.
[In China disaster, victims are recast as troublemakers] [In China disaster, victims’ relatives are recast as troublemakers]
“The investigative team has never let relatives get involved or allowed an independent investigative organization in,” the 63-year-old man said. “They closed the door and investigated themselves. How can we trust their report? It’s like the person who makes mistakes scrutinized himself and cleared himself.”“The investigative team has never let relatives get involved or allowed an independent investigative organization in,” the 63-year-old man said. “They closed the door and investigated themselves. How can we trust their report? It’s like the person who makes mistakes scrutinized himself and cleared himself.”
Many relatives have blamed Zhang for continuing the ship’s journey during the storm when two nearby vessels dropped anchor. Many relatives have faulted Zhang, the captain, for continuing the ship’s journey during the storm when two nearby vessels dropped anchor.
The report said the captain had tried to stabilize the ship, but the vessel was overwhelmed by a sudden burst of wind and rain, and it took just a minute or so to flip over, Xinhua reported. The report said that the captain had tried to stabilize the ship but that the vessel was overwhelmed by a sudden burst of wind and rain, and capsized in about a minute, Xinhua reported.
But the investigation team also said the captain and his chief mates had “insufficient knowledge” about extreme weather and possible dangers, and “responded inadequately.” But the investigators also said that the captain and his chief mates had “insufficient knowledge” about extreme weather and possible dangers and that they “responded inadequately.”
The Eastern Star was built in 1994 as a vessel for passenger transport, converted into a cruise ship in 1997 and reconstructed in 2008. The Eastern Star was built in 1994 for passenger transport, was converted into a cruise ship in 1997 and reconstructed in 2008.
The ship’s ability to resist strong winds decreased to a certain extent after those projects but was still in line with official requirements, said Wu Yousheng, a shipping expert who participated in the probe, Xinhua reported. Nevertheless, it was not stable enough to resist the June 1 storm, in which winds reached level 12 on the Beaufort scale — more than 73 miles per hour — in a very short time and rainfell at a rate of nearly four inches an hour. The ship’s ability to withstand strong winds was reduced to a certain extent by those modifications but was still in line with official requirements, said Wu Yousheng, a shipping expert who participated in the probe, Xinhua reported. Nevertheless, the ship was insufficiently stable to withstand the storm, in which winds reached level 12 on the Beaufort scale — more than 73 miles per hour, or hurricane force — in a short time and rain fell at a rate of nearly four inches an hour.
Relatives said the ship and crew were clearly not prepared for rough weather and should not have been on the river.Relatives said the ship and crew were clearly not prepared for rough weather and should not have been on the river.
“I felt a chill when I saw the news,” said 35-year-old Candy Tang, whose6-year-old daughter died. “The result is not surprising. I can do nothing about it. I’m exhausted.” “I felt a chill when I saw the news,” said Candy Tang, 35, whose 6-year-old daughter died. “The result is not surprising. I can do nothing about it. I’m exhausted.”
Xu Jing contributed to this report.Xu Jing contributed to this report.