A fireman inspects the back end of the badly damaged Lamma IV passenger boat on Oct. 3 2012 (AFP)
Two Marine Department officials have been arrested in connection with the 2012 National Day Lamma ferry crash that left 39 people dead.
Retired senior inspector Wong Kam-ching, 60, is charged with perjury, while the department’s assistant director So Ping-chi, 58, is accused of misconduct in public office.
The pair were asked to attend Central police station yesterday and were formally arrested and charged, according to an SCMP source.
They are due to appear in Eastern Court today.
The news comes just a month after the skippers of both vessels involved in the collision were jailed.
On Feb. 16 this year, Lai Sai-ming of Sea Smooth was sent to jail for eight years after being found guilty of manslaughter and endangering others at sea, while Chow Chi-wai, captain of Lamma IV, received nine months for endangering others at sea.
Lamma IV, carrying 124 passengers to see the National Day fireworks in Victoria Harbour on Oct. 1 2012, collided with the Sea Smooth catamaran that was carrying 62 people.
Of the 39 who died, eight were children.
Related Stories:
Lamma ferry captain jailed for 8 years for deadly 2012 crash
