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BEIJING, March 9 (AFP) – A Philippine-flagged freighter is due to dock in China Wednesday where an investigation is expected to be conducted into claims that it sunk a French trawler, killing five sailors.
The Seattle Trader is expected in the southern port of Fangchenggang in Guangxi province around noon (0400 GMT).
“The ship Seattle Tribune will arrive at the port around 12 noon on Wednesday,” said a Fangchenggang port authority official.
“I have contacted the agent of the ship to find out whether we will receive some investigators.”
Edwin Cristobal, general manager of Victoria Shipping, the company that owns the Seattle Trader, said “we don’t expect any arrests but we expect some investigation.”
He said the company has sent a representative, a marine superintendent, to assist in any inquiry.
Diplomatic sources in Beijing said the Chinese government had assured their French counterparts that all the necessary measures would be taken to clarify the situation.
The 39,000-tonne bulk carrier is one of six ships being investigated for a possible role in the sinking in the English Channel on January 15 of the Bugaled Breizh.
© AFP
Subject: France news