Ogden Daily Standard | 1918-02-04 | Page 1 | Blame Placed for Collision

Pilot Mackay of Halifax and Li ' , ' ! Captain Lamodec of French J i ) ' I ' Ship Blamed. i''VH HALIFAX, N. S., Feb. 4. Blame for '!' ;; I the collision between thc French j : M ! munitions ship Mont Blanc and tho ; , h fl Belgian relief ship Imo, resulting in , j! ' H the explosion of the former vessels, which destroyed a large part, of Hali- j flj; H fax on December 6, was placed upon uil f H Pilot Mackay of Halltaand Captain - i Lamodec of the French ship in a judg- !,! j '! H raent announced today by. the gov- ! u H eminent commission which invest!- ! 1 f ' H gated thc collision. iij' i i l With the announcement of the com- ; H mission's judgment Mackay was ar- ' ' !' ' rested charged with manslaughter, the H commission having recommended that m j t . . H he be criminally prosecuted and his si'; IH license cancelled. " 4 H Guilty of NeglccL ' , H Captain Lamodec and Pilot Mackay j ; U are in addition found guilty by the j (1. H committee of neglect of public safety i j, i i H on the ground that they did not take 'lit !sii! H proper steps to warn tho inhabitants of w ,'l ib'JH tho city of a probable explosion. The j ? ''lH commission further "considers the pi- -v v H lotago authorities deserving of censure ;t '; ; for permitting Mackay to pilot ships i . ij H since the disaster." Ij'PhJ' H Captain Wyatt, chief examination m officer of the port, Is found guilty of ji 'yB neglect in performance of duties re-i Jjtj ,;f M quiring him to keephimsolf informed SjU . J of thc movements of ships in the bar- ijV"" t'l bor and in not taking proper steps to jjfi 1 11 enforce regulations. f: . ' ' j The commission also recommends to iLf ,u the French authorities the cancella- 2f;'( , tion of tho license of-Captain Lamodec Ji .j -, and "that he bo dealt with according 1 lt (H to thc law of his country." :S ' Captain Laniodec was also arrested, j't,, j charged with manslaughter. '..; J J Tho commission hold that Captain fcfv; " Lamodec and tho pilot violated tho I:' t' II rules of the road. '