In brief

HEBEI TWO FREE

On 11 June the captain and chief officer of the Hebei Spirit were finally free to leave South Korea to return to their families in India. Organisations from across the world’s shipping industry had issued a vigorous joint protest at the continuing unjust and unreasonable detention of the Hebei Two, who were held in South Korea for more than 500 days. The Daejeon Appeal Court on June 11 endorsed the Supreme Court Decision that both men were innocent of the charge of destruction of a vessel – the charge that carried the prison sentence. But, much to the regret of the international community and the relevant P&I Club Skuld, the Supreme Court and subsequently the Daejeon Appeal Court upheld the charge of causing pollution.