Pinoy captain of ship which grounded on French Polynesian reef convicted

Captain of ship which grounded on French Polynesian reef convicted
25 August 2019 https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/397460/captain-of-ship-...

The conviction of a captain whose cargo ship drifted onto a reef in French Polynesia has become final.

Last year the captain of the Philippines-registered vessel was given a suspended one-year jail sentence and the company Sinbanali Shipping was fined $US240,000.

They originally appealed but now accepted the court ruling.

The captain Lazaro Valenzuela has been convicted for failing to communicate an engine failure which within two days saw the laden ship drift onto the reef of Raroia.

The incident only became known when locals saw the stranded 132-metre long ship, Thorco Lineage, which was carrying zinc from the United States to Australia.

After being towed to Papeete for repairs of its hull, a special tug from the United States took the vessel to South Korea.