China Vessel Collision Leads to Drowning

Two people were rescued, one person has been confirmed dead, and 11 others are feared drowned in eastern China after a the Pengxiang 9 sank following its collision with another boat, the motor vessel Jintai 618, in the Yangtze River.  The Yangtze River is China’s longest waterway.  Fourteen people total were on board the vessel when it sank.  “Pengxiang 9” is registered in the northern port city of Tianjin.

Falling into this river, according to local maritime officials, is a death sentence.  The land surrounding Zhangjiagang is extremely fertile, and many fish farms are located around the city.  Many of the Yangtze tributaries are contaminated from uncontrolled chemical factories nearby.

Maritime authorities imposed a traffic ban in the section to search for the remaining missing, but none have been found.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Sea routes are getting busier as the number of sailing vessels continuously increases. Additionally, the ships traveling today, can motor at very high speeds. This increase in traffic and speed increased the risk of accidents, specifically vessel collisions, and the higher the velocity, the greater the potential damage that can be caused. The ship involved in a collision suffers from heavy structural and stability damage.  Apart from the damage to the ship, collision results in detrimental environmental effects such as a chemical or oil spill, adverse long term consequences to the local communities, financial loss to owners and operators, and of course the possible loss of human life.

If you have been injured in a vessel collision or you know someone who was killed in an offshore accident, please contact an Experienced Maritime Attorney to discuss your case.  We have tried thousands of offshore injury cases for over 45 years and we want to put our experience to work for you, getting you the compensation you deserve. Email us at info@smslegal.com or call us today.