Ex-Crewman ‘Shocked’ as Fishing Boat Sinks
- markdarrenwilkinso
- Sep 4
- 1 min read
Ex-Crewman ‘Shocked’ as Trial Over Fatal Collision Continues
A former crewman of the L’Ecume II has told Jersey’s Royal Court he was “shocked” the fishing trawler sank, describing skipper Michael Michieli as highly safety-conscious and knowledgeable.
Michieli and his crew, Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat, died in 2022 when the vessel collided with the Condor ferry Commodore Goodwill. Two men, Lewis Peter Carr, 30, and Artur-Sevash Zade, 35, deny three counts of gross negligence manslaughter.
Ex-crew members said Michieli ran a strict and orderly boat, regularly trained staff, and always used fishing lights at night for safety. However, witnesses noted he rarely wore a life jacket, describing him as “old school.”
The court also heard the ferry did not issue a standard mayday call, instead contacting the coastguard on a less widely monitored channel. The coastguard officer on duty said he initially thought the vessels had a “near-miss” before learning L’Ecume II had gone down.
The trial continues.
