Widow welcomes guilty verdict in Bahrain Boat Disaster Case
07/06/2007
Guilty verdict in Bahrain Boat Disaster Case
Thank you very much for all your hard work, especially as the outcome is better than expected. Can't thank you enough.
Shana, Wiltshire
A widow whose
husband died when the boat he was sailing on capsized off the coast of
Bahrain has said she is 'pleased' by the news that the owner of the
boat, Abdulla Al Kobaisi, has been convicted of manslaughter and
sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Bahrain Boat disaster
Stephanie
Grady (31) whose husband Stephen died aboard the vessel the Al Dana
when it sank in March 2006 killing 58 people, said:
"Having heard
the verdict I am pleased that the court reacted to the seriousness of
this case and has handed down to Mr Al Kobaisi the maximum sentence
that they could under the current law. I remain disappointed that the
maximum sentence is only 10 years and would call on the Bahrain
government to consider whether this is really long enough for such a
tragic loss of life"
Mrs Grady continued: "I thank both the Judge
and the prosecutor for the way in which this case has been handled. I
believe that the Judge has set a precedent which has sent a strong
message to all businesses in Bahrain that if you do not take the right
safety precautions to ensure the safety of your employees and
customers, and as a result people die, the law in Bahrain will ensure
that you are punished."
"I am disappointed that Mr Al Kobaisi is
currently out on bail and is appealing his sentence. Nothing will bring
my husband back and all I can hope for is that the Court of Appeal will
make sure justice is done and uphold what I consider to be the right
decision."
Al Dana Sinking
The Al Dana was hired by local
company 'Island Tours' who in turn chartered the boat to construction
firms Nass and Murray & Roberts, for a party to celebrate the
completion of part of the Bahrain World Trade Centre. Murray &
Roberts, a South African company, with offices in the UK, lost ten
employees. In addition, employees of Surrey construction firm W.S.
Atkins plc, who were involved in the construction project, were invited
to the event. Five members of W.S Atkins' UK staff were amongst those
who died on board.
An inquest which took place in London in
December 2006 heard damning evidence from a marine expert, Barry Deakin
who identified three principal causes of the accident:
-
The vessel had inadequate stability
The inspection and certification process in Bahrain was inadequate and;
The crew's qualification and training were inadequate.
Clive
Garner from Irwin Mitchell solicitors who is representing the families
of the deceased and victims of the tragedy said: "The Bahraini criminal
courts have sentenced Mr Al Kobaisi to 10 years in prison for his part
in the events leading to the capsizing of the Al Dana.
Meanwhile
civil claims for compensation are being pursued. While nothing truly
compensates for the appalling loss of life which has been suffered,
compensation is being sought to assist the many widows, orphans and
other victims of this tragedy to help give them back some of the
financial security that they have lost and to give them the resources
they need to start re-building their lives."
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