The investigation into the crash on Sharhelund III has made its conclusions public earlier today. The release of the deadly plague virus on Sharhelund III was caused by a crash between a battleship carrying the virus and a shuttle in orbit of the planet.
Obbet Rember from the Republic Justice Department states that the Restless Spirit was a rebuild battleship and that this played a large part in the “freak” accident. The accident was caused by an orbital shuttle which, due to navigational error crashed into the Restless Spirit as it was doing a supply run to the planet. Normally battleships are able to withstand crashes and bumps but the Restless Spirit was rebuilt and standard engineers could not perform their maintenance duties on the altered design. The lack of regular maintenance had weakened the battleship because small fractures and similar damage went overlooked.
The shuttle which was in orbit of the planet had not adjust his flight plan in time to dodge the battleship that came to replenish supplies on Sharhelund III. The pilot of the Restless Spirit followed normal protocol when he contacted the shuttle to make way for the battleship. What followed was a crash between the two ships that left a wreck for the investigating team to dissect. The Republic Justice Department has closed the investigation being satisfied with their answers regarding the crash that had cost close to 3 million lives.
The accident on Sharhelund has provoked the sympathy of all citizens and the aid people gave was overwhelming for the official authorities. Obbet Rember will give a personal letter of recommendation from the Justice Department to pilots who helped the inhabitants of Sharhelund or the investigating authorities.