the crew followed officials’ instructions on where to place the vessel. Shifting winds reportedly changed the position, pushing the ship toward the reserve but it was relocated to avoid damage.
Follow all the instructions you want, captains are still responsible for the physical movement of their vessels. The captain probably should have recognized that safe mourning was impossible and moved the ship elsewhere. Captains, like doctors and lawyers, are not hired to simply follow orders.
The ship was safe. The water was deep enough. The anchorage presented no threats to the ship.
I think you are over-representing the responsibility of the captain of a ship.
It's entirely reasonable to say that they did the job the best they could, but that circumstances were such that the ship still caused damage to the coral, through no fault of the ship's captain.
Lots of things that a captain can't take responsibility for - particularly when it doesn't involve the safety of the ship and it's passengers.
