Overview
- Coroner Monica Chow Wai-choo found the 2012 crash was caused by gross negligence by the coxswains of both the Sea Smooth and the Lamma IV.
- The court ruled that each of the 39 people who died was unlawfully killed during a National Day fireworks trip off Lamma Island.
- The verdict follows a 44-day inquest held last year after relatives won a Court of Appeal case to pursue a fresh probe into unresolved issues.
- The decision has limited practical effect, as the captains were previously jailed and all civil damages had been settled before the ruling.
- Proceedings revisited disputed technical questions, including responsibility for a structural flaw on the Lamma IV, while families said the process provided symbolism more than closure.