Decision ID: 003563

In June 2009 the 1992 Fund Executive Committee noted that in April 2009 the Korean Supreme Court had overturned the decision by Court of Appeal, which had held that the Masters of one of the tugs and of the crane barge involved in the Prestige incident and the Master and Chief Officer of the Hebei Spirit were liable for the destruction of the Hebei Spirit and had sent the case back to the Court of Appeal for retrial. It was noted that the Supreme Court had also annulled the Court of Appeal’s decison to imprison the crew members of the Hebei Spirit but had upheld the decision to imprison the Masters of one of the tugs and of the crane barge and had confirmed the fines imposed by the Court of Appeal. It was further noted that in June 2009 the Court of Appeal had issued a judgement which had followed the Supreme Court’s judgement and that as a result the Master and Chief Officer of the Hebei Spirit had been allowed to leave the Republic of Korea.