(1) Where loss of life
is or personal injuries are suffered by any person on board a vessel, owing to
the fault of that vessel and of any other vessel or vessels, the liability of
the owners of the vessels shall be joint and several.
(2) Nothing in this
section shall be construed as depriving any person of any right of defence on
which, independently of this section, he might have relied in an action
brought against him by the person injured or any person or persons entitled to
sue in respect of such loss of life, or shall affect the right of any person
to limit his liability in cases to which this section relates in the manner
provided by law.