Swedish prosecutors have charged the master and pilot of the Norwegian cargo ship Misje Verde over last month’s collision with a pleasure boat near Tjörn that killed two people. Both men face charges of causing death through negligence, causing bodily injury through negligence and negligence in maritime traffic.
They deny wrongdoing. Prosecutors said the investigation found that the pleasure boat was clearly visible on Misje Verde’s radar before the cargo ship overtook and struck it. The indictment alleges that the master and pilot failed to maintain a proper lookout, breaching Rule 5 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).
The vessel being overtaken should have been kept clear under Rule 13. The collision occurred on July 28 in Hakefjord, southwest of Gothenburg. The cargo ship approached the 8-metre cabin boat from astern and struck it, pulling the smaller vessel beneath the ship before it flooded and sank in about 20 metres of water.
Four people were aboard the pleasure boat. An adult and a child were rescued by nearby boaters, while another adult and child died. Investigators’ analysis of Misje Verde’s Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) gave prosecutors a detailed account of what was visible on the bridge, what was said and how duties were divided between the master and pilot.
Senior Prosecutor James von Reis said the VDR showed that the pleasure boat appeared clearly as a radar target but was missed by both men. The pilot was named as a suspect on August 6 after investigators concluded he had taken an active role in navigating the ship and could potentially share responsibility for the collision.
“It is unusual for a pilot to be prosecuted for having played a part in a maritime accident involving the vessel being piloted,” von Reis said. He said the investigation found that the pilot had taken a “very active role” in navigation while the master was occupied with matters unrelated to navigating the vessel, including maintaining a lookout.