Relatives of Seven Killed in Sea Peril to Be Compensated

Relatives of Seven Killed in Sea Peril to Be Compensated

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Relatives of seven fishermen killed when a ship collided with their boat last year will receive compensation totaling 5.5 million yuan (662,700 US dollars).

The plaintiffs and the defendant, ICL, an Indian ocean shipping company, signed a mediation agreement Tuesday in Tianjin.

A fishing boat with seven Chinese fishermen aboard was broken in half by an Indian cargo ship on April 12, 2000 in the sea west of the Bohai Sea, an inland sea in north China.

The cargo ship did not rescue the seven fishermen who were then killed and their boat was damaged.

Zhang Xiurong and six other relatives of the dead sued on May 12, 2000.

The Tianjin Maritime Court held a hearing on July 10, 2001. The plaintiffs and the defendant argued about the alleged clash.

During the second hearing held Tuesday, the plaintiffs and the defendant reached a conciliation agreement.

Li Baihua, head of the maritime court, said that the hearings were held in accordance with the transparency and fair principles required by the World Trade Organization.

China now has 9 maritime courts.