Lucona sinking (Indian Ocean)
- 6 people died.Six of the twelve people aboard died.
In January 1977 a time bomb sank the cargo ship Lucona in the Indian Ocean; six of the twelve people aboard died. Its owner was later convicted of murder and fraud.
Austrian schillings, as reported by German Wikipedia.
Status As of March 1991: Udo Proksch was sentenced to 20 years, later increased to life, for six murders and fraud; the insurer refused to pay the claim; no environmental consequence is documented.
What happened
On 23 January 1977 the cargo ship Lucona sank in the Indian Ocean near Minicoy. A time bomb sank the ship, and six of the twelve people aboard died. The cargo had been declared as uranium-processing machinery but was scrap.
The wreck was found in January 1991 at a depth of 4,200 metres, according to English Wikipedia citing Mearns (2018) and the Washington Post of 12 March 1991.
The ship's insurer, Bundesländer-Versicherung of Vienna, had an insured sum of 212 million Austrian schillings and refused to pay, according to German Wikipedia.
The ship's owner, Udo Proksch, was sentenced to 20 years on 11 March 1991; the sentence was later increased to life, for six murders and fraud. A former foreign minister, Gratz, was convicted of forging the cargo papers.
- 1977Lucona sinks after a time bomb explodes; six of twelve aboard die (23 January)
- 1991Wreck found at 4,200 m (January); Udo Proksch sentenced to 20 years (11 March), later increased to life
What was said
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
How it looked
Shown
- The cargo was uranium-processing machinery.Cargo papers (a former foreign minister was convicted of forging them) · Wikipedia
Recorded
- A time bomb sank the ship; six of the twelve aboard died.
- The declared cargo was scrap.
- The wreck was found in January 1991 at 4,200 m.
- The insurer refused to pay the 212 million Austrian schilling insured sum.
- The owner was sentenced to 20 years on 11 March 1991, later increased to life, for six murders and fraud.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- bundeslaender-versicherung (1977): Refused to pay the insured sum of 212 million Austrian schillings. · Wikipedia
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 1991-03-11Claimant wonCriminal case against Udo ProkschCourt (not named in the record) · Criminal · Prosecution (not named in the record) → Udo Proksch, the ship's owner
Sentenced to 20 years on 11 March 1991, later increased to life, for six murders and fraud. Wikipedia
- Claimant wonCriminal case against a former foreign minister, GratzCourt (not named in the record) · Criminal · Prosecution (not named in the record) → Gratz, former foreign minister
Convicted of forging cargo papers; date and sentence are not in the record. Wikipedia
Insurers
- Claim refusedATS 212m Insured sum, million Austrian schillingsBundesländer-Versicherung (Vienna) → Not named in the recordStated reason: The insurer refused payment; the stated reason is not in the record.
The insurer, with an insured sum of 212 million Austrian schillings, refused to pay out. Wikipedia
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Accounts
- Disputed What was the cargo?
Record
- None on record Environmental consequence: none documented.
Did the harm stop?
The sinking was a single event on 23 January 1977; no environmental consequence is documented.
Who paid?
Six of the twelve people aboard died; the insurer refused to pay the 212 million schilling insured sum.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Lucona (German Wikipedia)Wikipedia ·