Review: June 1st at about 21:28, a ship from Nanjing to Chongqing in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in Hubei Jianli passenger ship sank in waters. A preliminary understanding of the ship carrying 397 people, Chinese travel agency staff of 5 people, the crew of 42 people.

After the sinking of the passenger ship "star in the East", the social from all walks of life are highly concerned about, people from all walks of life put forward their views, to a "tornado" said question, doubt before sinking suddenly turn resulting in the sinking of the, doubt the specifications for the design and construction of the ship, and some people even think that and "Dashun" wheels sank the same. However, if the investigation is not the conclusion is too arbitrary.

As a professional maritime lawyer, I believe that all conclusions should be based on the facts. At present, it is urgent to try to save and deal with the emergency. After the emergency treatment is completed, the investigation is to start.

It is reported that the evening of 3, Ma Kai, vice premier of the State Council in Jianli chaired a State Council meeting of the working group pointed out that adhere to the rescue as the first priority, make every effort to do the "Oriental Star ferry capsized incident rescue disposal; to seriously carry out investigation into the incident, to ensure that out a stand the test of history of the incident investigation report, timely, accurate, open, transparent and release information, the initiative to respond to the concerns of the society.

At the same time, transportation ministry spokesman Xu Chengguang 3 days in the Yangtze River passenger ship "Oriental Star" capsized event press conference revealed that passenger ship capsized in the section of the Yangtze River has been restored to navigation, the investigation of the incident will adhere to in accordance with the "never huduan, and shall not conceal" the principle of development.

In addition, Xu Chengguang said, have been organized by elite, the authority of technical experts, the spirit of scientific and rigorous attitude, according to never huduan, must not conceal the principle, respect for science, respect facts, replicability, lessons, carefully identify, do preparatory work for investigation of the incident. At present, the relevant departments have been rescued by the crew to carry out the investigation, evidence collection.

Below, according to the author for many years engaged in water traffic accident investigation and handling of the work experience, unmasked the investigation organ will be how to investigate the ferry "star in the East" sunk cases.

I believe that in order to find out the facts of the case investigation authorities generally from the following several aspects:

One, the accident after the side

1, the verification of the ship is equipped with VDR (Data Recorder Voyage, the ship set sail data recorder, also known as the marine black box. If you do have a VDR, you should try to get the VDR's storage device, and then read the data.

VDR is a kind of instrument that records and saves the information of ship hull in real time. VDR record of data mainly include: 1) ship state information projects include: state, watertight door and fire door state, acceleration and hull should force, wind direction and wind speed openings in the ship's position, speed, heading, propeller speed, actual rudder angle and ship. 2) the operation of the ship information projects include: ship and car clock to back order, cabin car clock to back orders, rudder operation, variable pitch pitch control (if any), speech information, radar data, echo sounder data and side thruster data (if any), alarm signal dynamics and host of lights etc..

Thus it can be seen that if the final complete VDR data, it will be very beneficial to identify the facts. But if there is no VDR or no complete data on the ship, it will be very bad for the identification of the facts. At present, the unknown ferry "Oriental Star" is installed VDR, we wait for the investigation department of the news.

2, the transfer of the AIS record, the record is relatively good retrieval. At present, users can access any website login AIS records. At present I have to see my colleagues will obtain AIS records released.

AIS system is the abbreviation of System Automatic (Identification), which is composed of the facility and the ship borne equipment. Ship automatic identification system (AIS) with global positioning system the position, speed, change the heading rate and course of ship dynamic combination of ship's name, call sign, draft and dangerous goods such as ship static data by the very high frequency (VHF) channel to the waters near the ship and coastal stations, so that adjacent near ships and shore station can grasp near the sea all ships of dynamic and static information, can immediately call each other coordination, to take the necessary action to avoid collision, are very helpful for the safety of the ship.

To find out the navigation path of the "Oriental Star", and to obtain a certain time interval of the ship's speed, which is conducive to the indirect identification of the action and measures taken before the sinking.

3, if ferry "star in the East" without installation of VDR, can try to get near the radar station of the radar image, or find the case is arranged close to the VDR ship, managed to timely transfer the VDR data. Due to the VDR data will be automatically covered in front of the cover for a period of time. In this case, the VDR data transfer of the peripheral vessels, it may be too late. But do not rule out the possibility of our investigation authorities have taken the appropriate action in time.

4, the investigation crew. Crew, especially in the case of the crew, as they are in the first place, the ship's sinking, the surrounding situation is the most clear, so you can get more important information from the survivors of the crew.

5, the investigation of survivors of the passengers. Investigation of survivors of the ship is very helpful to find out after the ship sank. At present know there has been a 14 life, the survivors will provide important information for the investigation organ.