Local prosecutors have launched an investigation after determining that the ferry’s captain had violated protocol by failing to inform the authorities about the grounding immediately after it occurred.
The coast guard said repeated attempts had been made to contact the captain via radio, but the latter did not respond until 19:01, by which time more than ten minutes had already elapsed after the ferry ran aground.
On Wednesday, August 6, the coast guard said that prosecutors have been informed that the ferry’s owner had not yet drafted a salvage plan or assigned an external company to submit such a plan for approval even though more than 14 hours had passed since the incident.