The District Court of Gothenburg, Sweden, found the captain of the oil tanker Misje Verde and its master guilty of negligence in maintaining proper watch in an incident that occurred last summer, resulting in the death of a mother and daughter.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred on July 28 in an area of the western archipelago of Sweden. The 5,310 deadweight ton tanker collided with a recreational boat carrying a family of four, sinking it. The father of the family testified in court that he only saw the tanker when it was a few meters away from his boat and tried to steer away, but the recreational boat was pulled under the front section of the tanker.
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Despite adverse weather conditions, the Swedish Accident Investigation Board found that the recreational boat was visible on radar. According to navigation rules, the larger tanker was required to give way to the smaller boat. Officials emphasized that the tanker was unable to see the boat because it failed to maintain proper watch and did not stop after the collision.
Court Findings and Consequences
After the incident, maritime authorities only realized that the captain of the tanker was stopping the ship to disembark the master. The recreational boat ultimately sank, and the mother and daughter were found in the search area, while the father and son were rescued by another boat.
Investigations revealed that the Russian captain of the tanker had left the bridge at one point to perform paperwork, and the Swedish master had taken on more responsibilities than necessary for a navigation mission. During the trial, the captain accepted ultimate responsibility as the ship's commander but claimed that the master was maintaining watch.
The court confirmed the watchkeeping deficiencies and stated that if watch had been properly maintained, the recreational boat should have been identified, and the accident could have been avoided. Ultimately, both the captain and the master were found guilty of negligence in maritime traffic leading to death and bodily harm. However, the court suspended the penalties, and the master was fined, while the captain was released due to detention during the investigation.
The Masters' Association appealed the verdict and expressed concern about the precedent it could set. Navigation in the Marstrand area was temporarily halted for two days following the ruling. Occupational health services concluded that for the mental health of the masters, these services should be temporarily suspended.
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