OOCL fined US$69,000 in accidental death at shipboard drinks party
HONG KONG's Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has been fined EUR50,000 (US$69,000) in the accidental death of an executive in France 11 years ago, reports Reuters.
OOCL was found guilty in a criminal court in Le Havre of involuntary manslaughter in the July 3, 2003 death of Courtenay Allan, following a long campaign by Allan's three sons, Ben, Hayden and Tristan Allan.
"After 11 years of campaigning for justice, we are pleased that OOCL has finally been held responsible for our father's premature death," they said in a statement.
Allan, 53, died after plunging six floors down an elevator shaft aboard the 4,400-TEU OOCL Montreal when the lift doors inexplicably opened without the elevator.
Allen, head of OOCL's transatlanic trades, was attending a cocktail party while the ship was docked at Le Havre.
OOCL was charged by the French authorities in November 2012 with involuntary manslaughter "by negligence, carelessness, inattention or breach of duty or safety causing the unintentional death".
OOCL has 10 days to appeal the court's ruling, which followed a trial in May
