Marine accidents and trial by publicity
Sometimes we wonder how Filipino seafarers and Filipinos in general are regarded by the world at large. Twelve days after the 13th January Costa Concordia incident, The Nautical Institute (NI) issued a press statement in which it lamented how “blatant speculation into the actions of Captain Schettino and others before” was being “presented as fact”. We are one with the NI in condemning trial by publicity. On the other hand, we don’t recall the venerable Institute issuing a similar statement in the aftermath of the Rena accident on 5th October 2011 where a Filipino master took centre stage. (more…)
