the driven around this new law was launched in part from a string of vehicle - related accidents in the late 1980s , such as the sinking of crossing - straits ferry the herald of free economy in 1987 , the oil platform piper sigma disaster in 1988 , and the marchioness reading river boat collision in 1989 . more than 400 people lost their lives in these five disasters , but no one individual or organisations was sent to account .
100 or more people lost their lives in a ferry sinking.