THE skipper of L’Ecume II was one of Jersey’s most knowledgeable fishermen, the Royal Court has heard – but he had previously expressed fears about being hit by a larger ship.
The trial of Commodore Goodwill crew members Artur Sevash-Zade (35) and Lewis Carr (30) entered its third day yesterday.
The men deny three charges of manslaughter, as well as one alternative lesser charge of endangering ships, structures and people, in the deaths of the three crew members of the L’Ecume II when it collided with the Commodore Goodwill on 8 December 2022.
Skipper Michael Michieli and crew members Larry Ladion Simyunn and Jervis Ramirez Baligat all drowned after the collision.
Witnesses appearing in the Royal Court on Wednesday afternoon praised Mr Michieli a “well-experienced fisherman”.
Irish Freight director David Nuth described Mr Michieli as “a very good friend”.
He said that seeing him work was “like watching a symphony orchestra”.
Mr Michieli’s wife Clare said her husband was “proud of his boat” and constantly maintained it.
Fisherman Jonathan De La Haye said the L’Ecume II skipper was an “exceptional seaman” who “knew Jersey waters”.
“I think his experience was exceptional,” he told the court.
“I don’t think there was any better fisherman in the Channel Islands.
“He knew his line of work exceptionally well. He was a fantastic fisherman.”
But the court also heard how Mr Michieli had complained to a friend about large ships.
He told Mr Nuth: “I don’t like it when them f***ers get close to me.”
Mr Michieli kept his fishing lights on whenever he was at sea, even if he wasn’t fishing, to be more visible.
The court heard that Mr Michieli told a friend: “It stops you getting run down.”
Advocate Simon Thomas, defending Mr Carr, said this was against regulations.
Benjamin Gallichan, who worked on L’Ecume II for several years, said safety was “really important” to Mr Michieli.
On a typical day, he and Mr Michieli would start by inspecting equipment.
He explained: “I was shown where safety equipment is day one, it was ingrained in me there was always spares.
“Crew were generally shown what to do in the case of unforeseen events.
“He was on it. Everything was in date, everything was always being checked, like life rafts and flares.”
The jury trial is scheduled to last four weeks.
Commissioner Sir John Saunders is presiding.
