South Korea ferry owner ignored warnings

Results of too much positive thinking, as well as greed. No different from those who ignore warnings that scientists have been giving us about global warming for more than 30 years.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27224998

30 April 2014

The owner of the sunken South Korean ferry ignored an off-duty captain's warnings about the ship's stability, prosecutors have said.

They say the captain warned that the ship should not carry too much cargo after it was refurbished. Two company officials have been detained.

The vessel was carrying three times its recommended maximum cargo weight.

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The refurbishment carried out by owners Chonghaejin Marine took place between October 2012 and February last year, shortly after the company purchased the Sewol ferry.

They built extra passenger cabins on the third, fourth and fifth decks.

The off-duty captain, named by prosecutors as Shin, had warned the company that this move had altered the 6,825-tonne ship's balance and undermined its ability to stabilise itself. The ferry left the port of Incheon with 3,606 tonnes of freight and cargo.

Prosecutors said the off-duty captain's warnings were brushed aside, according to news agencies.

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