Fishermen's inquests conclude as marine safety investigation is made public

A marine safety investigation into the collision that killed three fishermen in Jersey has found fatigue was probably a 'significant contributing factor' to what happened.

Michael Michieli (62), and crewmen Larry Simyun (33) and Jervis Baligat (31) drowned after a freight ship hit their vessel in December 2022.

Three and half years on, the Bahamas Maritime Authority has published its investigation following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

It found that the officer of the watch onboard the Commodore Goodwill felt small adjustments of course were enough to pass at short distance, and the skipper of L'Ecume was most likely below deck in the generator room because of an electric fault..

The Goodwill's lookout couldn't effectively help the officer of the watch, as he had been instructed to complete pre-arrival checks.

The BMA says it's unclear what suddenly caused L'Ecume to alter course two minutes before the collision, 36 seconds after the Goodwill further altered course itself, but states the action was contrary to international sea regulations.

It was also concluded that neither vessel's actions would have been immediately apparent to the other and neither made prescribed sound signals to alert the other.

A fatigue study was carried out and found that the officer of the watch's performance in the lead up to, and after the collision, correlates with symptoms of tiredness:

"His focus on completing the pre-arrival checklist, misjudgement of the effectiveness of the alteration of course and subsequent passing distance, along with the general failure to appreciate the seriousness of the developing close-quarters situation indicate that fatigue was a likely a significant contributing factor in the collision."

In conclusion it found the collision resulted from a combination of ineffective lookout, poor bridge resource management, inadequate collision-avoidance actions, fatigue, and failures to follow established maritime safety procedures.

One of the BMA's recommendations is work routines to be analysed to assess the risk of tiredness. 

It's also calling on Jersey's States to change the law that has delayed the release of the report until after the court case, so that lessons that improve sea safety can be shared much earlier.

Jersey's government says it will carefully review the findings and consider the recommendations.

In December 2025, Lewis Carr, who was in control of the Goodwill at the time of the collision, was jailed for 20 months for conduct endangering lives at sea.

L'Ecume II: Lewis Carr jailed for 20 months for fatal collision at sea

Inquests into the deaths of the three fishermen - adjourned until the conclusion of criminal proceedings - are expected to conclude today (4 June)