The Ho Chi Minh City Appeals Court Monday handed out a gentler sentence for a navigator involved in a waterway accident in mid Aug 2004 that left 7 dead and 4 crew critically injured.

Nguyen Quoc Viet, 42, working for a navigation company under the Vietnamese Maritime Department, received three years probation for making a fatal decision while navigating the Panamas Uniforward container departing from HCMC to southern Vung Tau port.

Viet had been originally sentenced to 42 months in prison by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Peoples Court in late August this year.

The appeals court upheld the fine of VND650 million (US$40,880) given to Taiwanese Ting Rah Cheng, 61, Uniforwards captain.

Panamas Uniforward, with a loading capacity of 18,000 tons, was at the Aval Can Gio area in Ganh Rai Bay in Vung Tau waters when Viet spotted two fishing boats on its left. He then instructed his navigators to veer right, causing the vessel to collide with the Vietnamese SG00994 tugboat of Southern Waterway Construction Co. (Sowaco), which was carrying stakes used for maritime safety.

The bodies of seven sailors on the tugboat were recovered while four others suffered serious injuries after the boat capsized, with the tugboat and its entire cargo vanishing into the sea.

With Uniforward held responsible for the collision, its owner, Taiwans Evergreen Marine Corp, Ltd., agreed to give the now deceased sailors families $15,000 each in compensation.

The Ba Ria-Vung Tau court, however, rejected claims for more compensation for the victims families.

Reported by Le Nga Translated by Ngoc Hanh.