By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com

Nearly five years after the Sea Hauler tragedy the government has done little to address the issues surrounding the crash, said Lincoln Bain, who warned that if policies are not put in place a similar event like the Sea Hauler disaster, which ended the lives of four and severely injured 25 others, will happen again.

In a telephone interview with The Guardian yesterday Bain, the spokesperson for the Sea Hauler victims, called on the government to prevent ships that primarily carry cargo from transporting passengers.

"There are now boats available that are equipped to carry passengers, like the Seawind, where persons are not just sprawled all over the deck where a crane can fall on them. They shouldn't be travelling on cargo ships. These cargo boats don't carry sufficient life vests and anyone can fall overboard at anytime. During excursions you have people partying in the middle of the night and they can fall overboard. Anything can happen," he cautioned.

"The challenge is to be proactive. There is no reason why people should be sleeping under a crane. A crane is meant for cargo and that is why the accident happened. That will not happen on ferries because passengers will be in a specific area and seated next to passengers. These are just some of the things that need to be put in place," continued Bain, who is studying law in Britain.

During Regattas and Homecomings, hundreds of Bahamians travel to various islands via cargo ships.

It was during the August Monday holiday weekend in 2003 that the Sea Hauler mailboat, overcrowded with passengers on their way to the annual Cat Island Regatta, collided with the United Star, a freight vessel, near Highbourn Cay, Exuma and Wemyss Bight, Eleuthera.

Four persons — Brunell Smith Ellis, Brenda Smith Leslie, Livingston Seymour and Lynden Riley — died in the collision and 25 others were seriously injured.

Each survivor's story is painfully tragic. Tennyson Leslie said when he woke up after the crash, his first sight was that of his wife, whose head had been crushed by the crane. What's worse, his own leg had been cut off, also by the crane and he could not move to go to his wife who by that time was already dead.

Meanwhile, Cedric Hart, who sustained major spinal injuries, fell into a coma and spent two years in hospital following the accident. During the accident the Sea Hauler's crane fell on Hart, who now uses a crutch to help him walk.

Another victim's lungs were damaged and spine bruised.

In light of this tragic event, Bain said if the government continues to allow cargo ships to carry passengers then they can only blame themselves if another collision occurs.

He said cargo ships' insurance only covers the cargo and cannot be held responsible if the passengers are injured.

However, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Labor Dion Foulkes said cargo ships' insurance can cover the passenger. He said the Sea Hauler and the United Star's insurance refused to accept liability.

"The insurance companies usually pay out any claims after they conduct their investigations," he added.

Meanwhile, the minister said all of the mailboats have the legal right to carry passengers. He said it is a traditional means of transport for Family Islanders.

"A lot of persons from the Family Islands still use the mailboat. Where we have to be careful and where the Port Department has to clamp down is the amount of passengers. Each boat has a limit. The Port Department has been very strict about the amount of persons that these boats take out," said Foulkes.

Bain insists that little to nothing has changed since the tragedy.

"Bahamians are still going out on cargo ships and this is going to happen again," he admonished.