Appendix B
Crewmember Information
Seadaniel
Pilot Clement B. Hingle
Clement B. Hingle, 51, at the time of the accident was a pilot with the Louisiana State Commission of River pilots, for the Crescent River Port Pilot's Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, unit #26. He had worked as a pilot about 18 1/2 years. Before becoming a Crescent River Pilot, he had been employed for 10 years with the Port Sulphur Company as a mate and captain of a river towboat. He held a first-class pilot's license, unlimited tonnage, from the Huey P. Long Bridge to sea, via South and Southwest Pass, Lake Ponchartrain to the Industrial Canal, Michod Turn, and also from the Intracostal Waterway to sea on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. He was a pilot for 3 to 4 years before the MRGO was opened as a ship channel. He has been navigating MRGO for about 15 years as a pilot and had piloted vessels similar to the Seadaniel "many times."
Master Yung Kwang Tien
Yung Kwang Tien, 57, held a Seaman's Certificate #954485 and was issued a "Captains" authorization on February 16, 1967, by the Consul General of Panama at Hong Kong. He was also issued a current Masters "Certificate of Capacity #10124" by the Consul General of Panama at Hong Kong on June 23, 1978, a "License of Competence to Merchant Marine Officer" dated December 2, 1971, as Master from the Democratic Republic of Somalia, at Paris, France, and a "License of Competence to Merchant Marine" dated April 26, 1977 as Master by the Republic of Liberia.
He graduated from the Navigation Department of the "Communication University" in China and received his second mate's license about 1949, and his chief mate's license from British authorities about 1962. In 1965, he received his first master's license from Liberia, Panama, and Somalia.
Helmsman Keung Chi Chau
Keung Chi Chau, 40, had been on board the Seadaniel for 2 months at the time of the accident, after joining the ship in Panama. He had been sailing since 1962 but this was his first time up the MRGO. He started as a deck hand, and had been a quarter master for 6 or 7 years. His seaman's papers were issued by the government of Hong Kong. He did not speak English, but understood course and rudder comments in English which he learned while sailing as a deck hand. He assisted in steering upon the Seadaniel's departure from Panama, steering the vessel in the canal about 4 hrs, and was steering when the ship arrived in Tsam Kong, China.
Third Mate Au Veung Yuk Yam
Au Veung Yuk Yam, 40, had been on the Seadaniel since June 9, 1980, about 1 1/2 months. He had been sailing since 1963 and had been a third mate since 1971. He sailed as a "sailor" and a helmsman before being licensed as a third mate by the Panama Consulate in Hong Kong. With the consent and endorsement of the company and the captain, he was qualified as a third mate after undergoing training on board ship; he had had no formal training. He was issued a second mate's license by the Panamanian Consulate
