Thursday, September 20, 2001, updated at 16:50(GMT+8)
China
Chinese Fishermen Awarded Compensation for Shipwreck
The Tianjin Municipal Maritime Court awarded Wednesday 5.5 million yuan (663,000 U.S, dollars) in compensation to the families of seven people killed in a ship collision last year.
A suit was filed on May 12, 2000, by the families of several Chinese fishermen against the ICL Shipping Company of India, owner of the ship ICL RAJA RAJAN, which plaintiffs said rammed into the Chinese boat, Jihuangyu 0824, killing seven people on board.
The plaintiffs claimed that the 60,000-ton Indian ship ran into the Chinese fishing boat, splitting it in two and killing the seven fishermen on board in the early hours of April 12 last year in the western waters of the Bohai Sea. The Indian ship, they charged, left the scene without offering any rescue assistance.
The maritime court held a hearing on the case on July 10 this year. On August 14, the two sides reached an agreement, according to which ICL company would pay damages to the families.
The Tianjin Municipal Maritime Court awarded Wednesday 5.5 million yuan (663,000 U.S, dollars) in compensation to the families of seven people killed in a ship collision last year.