Ship crew ignored warnings prior to deadly collision off Jersey in 2022, prosecutors say

Prosecutors in Jersey have alleged that two crewmen on a commercial cargo vessel had ignored warnings in the minutes leading up to a collision that left three people dead nearly three years prior, BBC News reports.

Artur Sevash-Zade and Lewis Carr have been charged with manslaughter in connection with the collision between the trawler L'Ecume II and the Condor Ferries Ro-Ro vessel Commodore Goodwill in St Ouen's Bay off Jersey on the morning (local time) of December 8, 2022.

The trawler sank immediately afterwards, and rescuers reportedly saw only debris when they arrived in the area later that same day.

Recovery teams found the bodies of L'Ecume II's captain Michael Michieli and its two Filipino crewmen Jervis Baligat and Larry Simyunn in the days following the collision.

Prosecutors said during court proceedings that began on Monday that neither Carr nor Sevash-Zade, who were working as crewmen on Commodore Goodwill on the day of the incident, was maintaining a proper lookout at the same time that L'Ecume II was also in the vicinity. This is despite the fact that the larger vessel provided "excellent" views of the bay from the bridge in addition to being fitted with three radars.

An investigation revealed that there were no other vessels in the area in the minutes leading up to the collision.

Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit told jurors that the Ro-Ro vessel's collision warning lights had been flashing for 10 minutes before the trawler was struck and that the accused had "ample time" to respond accordingly, but the two defendants were then engaged in "non-urgent" tasks.

The accused did not take action until just "seconds before impact," said Mr Maletroit.

Prosecutors added that although no speed limit was being enforced in the area, crews are nonetheless obligated to maintain a safe distance and speed relative to other vessels to minimise the risk of collision.

The accused had made no effort to reduce speed and so the larger Ro-Ro vessel was doing 18 knots when it struck the trawler, prosecutors argued.

BBC News said the trial is expected to last up to four weeks.