Sage Sagittarius inquest sustains homicide fears

摘要

An inquest into the death of the chief engineer of Japanese bulk coal carrier Sage Sagittarius in 2012 has heard that forensic evidence could fit either an assault or accident. Hector Collado's body was found on the floor of the engine room on 14 September 2012 as the Panamanian-flagged ship was about to enter Newcastle harbour. Police had boarded the NYK vessel just days earlier at Port Kembla, where it had been diverted following the disappearance on 30 August of chief cook Cesar Llanto in the Coral Sea while the ship was en route to Newcastle. An autopsy found that Collado had been struck on the head but had died from falling down an engineering shaft. A trail of blood led from the storeroom along the corridor to the rails.