THE MANAGER of Hebei Spirit today slammed a ruling by South Korea's supreme court that failed to clear the ship's captain and chief officer of wrongdoing.

THE MANAGER of Hebei Spirit today slammed a ruling by South Korea's supreme court that failed to clear the ship's captain and chief officer of wrongdoing.

V. Ships CEO Bob Bishop said: “We will not just stand by and let this ongoing face-saving exercise in Korea destroy the lives and careers of two highly professional seafarers.”

Bishop added that the ship manager will be pressing hard for the speedy return of the Hebei pair to India.

Hebei Spirit was at the centre of a major environmental disaster that saw over 12,000 tonnes of oil spill out off an island resort in South Korea in 2007.

Capt Jasprit Chawla and Syam Chetan were charged with willful destruction of property and sentenced to 1.5 years of jail time and a hefty fine in December last year.

The pair were bailed in March, but were been banned from travelling home. Yesterday's supreme court ruling overturned the sentences passed down by the high court. But the travel ban still applies.

Bishop was concerned that the ban may not be lifted until the Appellate Court has handed down a decision.

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