Second Mate Charged After Leaving Scene of Sea Crash

Wednesday, 12 December 2007: The 23-year-old second mate of a Korean registered gas carrying vessel will face Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with failing to render assistance after a crash with a fishing vessel off the coast of Queensland.

The man was arrested yesterday by the Australian Federal Police and taken to AFP Brisbane Headquarters following the carrying out of forensic procedures on the MV Namhae Gas.

It is alleged that the man was at the helm of the MV Namhae Gas when it collided at sea with an Australian fishing vessel, about 30 nautical miles east of Noosa on the Queensland coast, on Friday November 30.

The fishing vessel sustained severe damage to its forward section and began to take on water. A subsequent mayday call was allegedly not responded to by the MV Namhae Gas.

The mayday call was answered by another fishing vessel and with the assistance of its crew the damaged fishing boat was able to get back to port.

AFP forensics officers attended Port of Brisbane yesterday and conducted an inspection of the MV Namhae Gas. The second mate has been charged with an offence under Section 264 of the Navigation Act 1912, a Commonwealth law. The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment.