Latest updates of the incident
Norgas Carriers Pte. Ltd., Singapore said yesterday that the data from the Voyage Data Recorder (“Black Box”) from its managed vessel the Norgas Cathinka has successfully been recovered and is now in the safe custody of the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC).
Data from the “Black Box” includes voice and radar evidence from the bridge of the vessel which collided with a ferry in the Sunda Strait in the early hours of September 26, 2012.
The data was removed under the guidance and control of the NTSC officials. Also the police was on the vessel during this process.
Norgas Carriers believes the Black Box data contains vital evidence about the movements of both ships before the ships collided.
The “Black Box” records the movements of the Norgas Cathinka in the moments before the collision as well as the movements of the ferry KMP Bahuga Jaya. It also records communication to and from the ship and records voices on the bridge. It also records the movement of other ships and their AIS identification.
Both ships hit each other on the bow and after the collision the ferry lost its stability and Norgas Carriers believes the evidence shows this probably caused it to sink with the tragic loss of several lives.
The Norgas Cathinka is anchored safely at Merak Roads, Indonesia and official investigations into the incident are continuing. The ship is in need of temporary repairs and the damages are preliminary assessed to be about US$250,000.
Norgas Carriers, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of I.M. Skaugen SE of Norway (www.skaugen.com), is co-operating fully with the inquiry into the incident which is being conducted by the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore will also launch an investigation. Norgas Carriers has also launched an independent investigation to be performed by TMC (Marine Consultants) in the UK.
Source: I.M. Skaugen SE
