Call to reopen Rabaul Queen case

By JUNIOR UKAHA
A MAN who lost his father in the Rabaul Queen tragedy in 2012, wants the government to reopen the case to ensure justice is done to those affected by the incident.
Daniel Salle, 40, from Dagua, Wewak, East Sepik, lost his father Pius Salle, 70, in one of the worst maritime disasters in the country.
More than 170 people have been unaccounted for, presumed dead, when the ferry sank off Finschhafen in stormy weather.
Daniel had made his call yesterday after learning that the Public Prosecutor’s Office had refused to pursue charges against Bismarck Shipping owner Peter Sharp, his captain Anthony Tsiau and his Kimbe branch manager Grace Amen.
Sharp, Tsiau and Amen were initially charged with sending an unworthy vessel to sea.
Public prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin had on Aug 13 declined to pursue the charges against the accused. No reasons were given for his action.
Sharp and Tsiau were charged with 172 counts of manslaughter but they were acquitted by the court last year.
Daniel said it was six years now since the incident happened but the case had concluded poorly.
“I call on the State to reopen the case and ensure justice is done to the survivors and family members of those who died during the tragedy,” he said. “A lot of lives have been lost and the government has wasted a lot of money on this case so we cannot just let it go like that.
“Something has to be done to give peace to the relatives of the deceased and the survivors of this sea tragedy.”
Daniel said many of the survivors and relatives of the deceased had moved on in life and were liv5ing in rural areas with no access to the media and were not aware of what was happening with the case. He suggested that a coordination centre be set up in Lae or a central area so that survivors and families of victims could meet and follow-up on the case and also get help.
Pius, Daniel’s father, was the captain of another of Sharp’s vessels, the Solomon Queen, when he went missing.
He had left the vessel in Bougainville and was on his way on the Rabaul Queen when the tragedy happen.