Police have charged an expatriate engineer with manslaughter in connection with an industrial accident that killed two construction workers at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge six years ago.
The engineer, 39, was arrested upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday and detained for investigation. He was charged on Wednesday and his case will be mentioned at Sha Tin Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
On March 29, 2017, a temporary platform beneath the then under-construction bridge collapsed, resulting in the death of two foreign workers, aged 22 and 40. Three others sustained multiple injuries in the incident on Lantau Island.
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After conducting an investigation and reviewing other reports, police said they believed the accident was related to the “serious negligence” of the engineer, who had been hired by a contractor.
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The force said the engineer left Hong Kong after the incident and it issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of manslaughter after seeking legal advice.
In February 2019, the project’s three main contractors – Dragages Hong Kong, China Harbour Engineering Company and VSL Hong Kong – each pleaded guilty to nine summonses involving 27 breaches of occupational safety.
The three companies were fined HK$264,000, HK$214,000 and HK$136,000 respectively, or HK$614,000 in total.
Their breaches included using lifting gear exceeding the safe working load and failing to provide and maintain safe plant and system of work, as well as falling short on providing the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision for safety.
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