Letter:Safety at sea

Sir: I have just returned to the UK after a much-publicised trip aboard the infamous QE2. In the light of recent maritime disasters, I call for a full and open inquiry by the authorities in Britain to find out why the ship was ever allowed to sail with passengers on board in the condition it was in.

The US coastguard's interpretation of the international rules on ship safety prevented the ship from setting sail before numerous safety violations had been rectified.

Questions must be asked now to prevent this ever being allowed to happen again. Safety must be paramount over economic or PR pressures.

Yours sincerely, A. LENNOX London, SW8

26 December