Every possible causal factor must be examined

Jul 23, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

Christopher Ram’s letter, published in your newspaper on 22nd July 2026, asks the right questions—but only some of them. More importantly, the questions it omits reveal as much as those it includes.

The central flaw in Ram’s letter is that it presents a narrow conception of what an independent inquiry ought to investigate. Almost every substantive question he poses is directed toward one destination: the conduct of the State, the Maritime Administration, the Transport and Harbours Department and the Minister responsible for both.

There is nothing improper about examining those institutions. Indeed, any credible inquiry must do so. But a maritime disaster of this magnitude cannot be reduced to a regulatory audit.

Ram’s catalogue of questions betrays an assumption that the primary explanation lies in governmental or regulatory failure. Conspicuously absent are the questions that any experienced marine investigator would immediately place before an inquiry.

Was there captain’s error? Were navigational decisions made that placed the vessel in unnecessary danger? Were proper seamanship and emergency procedures followed? Did the master misjudge the conditions or fail to respond appropriately when the vessel encountered difficulty?

What were the tidal and river conditions at the time? Were forecasts available and were they taken into account before departure?

Then there is perhaps the most obvious issue of all—overcrowding. Was the vessel carrying more passengers than permitted? Were passengers concentrated unevenly? Was cargo improperly secured? Did passenger movement contribute to instability? Throughout maritime history, overcrowding has featured prominently in some of the world’s worst ferry disasters. Remarkably, Ram asks none of them.

Ram’s questions tell us something about his own focus. They point overwhelmingly toward institutional and governmental responsibility. But what about operational, environmental or human factors that may prove equally—or even more—important?

An inquiry must also examine vessel design, maintenance, weather, tides, navigation, communications, crew competence, passenger behaviour, emergency response, loading practices, regulatory oversight and organisational culture. Every plausible causal factor must be investigated without prejudice.

Regards,

Roopnauth Hardyal

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Christopher Ram, Letters, Maritime Administration, Roopnauth Hardyal, Transport and Harbours Department

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