Second Officer Directed to Contact Captain After Crash

Crew Member Told Officer to Call Captain After Fatal Ferry Collision

A crew member has told a court he urged a second officer to call the captain “straight away” after a Condor Ferries ship collided with a fishing boat, killing all three men onboard.

The crash in December 2022 claimed the lives of skipper Michael Michieli and his L’Ecume II crewmates, Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat. Second officer David Carr and master Artur Sevash-Zade deny gross negligence manslaughter.

Bosun Kostyantyn Zhyglov said he rushed to the bridge after hearing blasts of the horn, where he found Mr Carr “standing, not moving” at the radar. When told he had not called the captain, Mr Zhyglov insisted he do so immediately. The captain later arrived and issued the “man overboard” call.

Another officer, Philip Ablett, said he had “no concerns” handing over to Mr Carr before the collision. He noted that Mr Carr had been filling out pre-arrival paperwork ahead of schedule, a practice he described as “not best” but not harmful.

Second officer trainee William Hibbs, woken by the impact, recalled hearing the man overboard announcement and later spotting a flashing light and diesel on the water. He told the court fishing vessels could appear erratic at sea and stressed the importance of following Standing Orders, calling them “the bible” of navigation.

The trial continues.