In-depth
The tragedy on the Saigon River: Who’s fault is this?
  • | dtinews.vn | May 28, 2011 06:20 PM

>>Investigators probe cause of Din Ky pleasure boat tragedy

>> 15 bodies found in ship accident

>> River cruise ship capsizes, 16 missing

The Din Ky boat tragedy in Binh Duong Province followed quickly on the heels of another, similar accident in Halong Bay. Why did these things happen?

In the latest incident, 16 people died, including several children. For one of them, it was supposed to be a birthday party.

Supposedly, “investigations are underway”. But what will the outcome of these investigations be? Who’s fault is this? The captain, who didn’t know how to run a ship? The crew, who were untrained? Or company who operated a boat and didn’t bother to train them?

Even if the person who was ultimately responsible for this is identified, it will not solve the problem.

The real problem is that people who have no idea what they’re doing are put into positions of importance; positions that hold other people’s fates in the balance.

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If I operate a cruise ship, I might save a bit of money by hiring a hiring somebody off the street and giving him a captain’s hat.

“Here’s your hat. It’s easy. Just steer the boat around for a few hours and steer it back to the shore.”

Maybe there’s a 90% chance that nothing bad will happen, and a 100% chance that I will make some money.

But on that off chance when something bad does happen, and the captain and the crew who I’ve hired on the cheap, do not know what to do... Well this will equal tragedy. It could (it did) end lives and cause unspeakable pain.

In this case, I should be investigated and brought to justice. Why arrest the guy who I gave the captain’s hat to?

But more important, wouldn’t it be better to investigate the system that has allowed me to do this, in order to make sure that something similar doesn’t happen again?
 

________

I guess there’s no use in making any snap judgements about who is responsible. The captains, the crew members, the mechanics. Were there any mechanics?

But I will say this: Even if the people who are responsible for these things are identified and caught. Even if they spend the rest of their lives in a prison, They will be fed every day, they will drink water.

The father of this child who has died will also drink water. But I doubt that it will taste as good as it did before. I doubt it will satisfy him.
 

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