Two men have been charged in relation to the deaths of the crew onboard the L’Ecume II on 08 December 2022
Two men have been arrested and charged in relation to the collision, sinking and deaths of the crew onboard of the Jersey-registered fishing vessel ‘L’Ecume II’.
On 8 December 2022, the fishing vessel ‘L’Ecume II’ tragically sank off the coast of Jersey in the Channel Islands after a collision with a Condor Ferries’ Ro-Ro cargo ship, ‘Commodore Goodwill’. The incident occurred early in the morning, leading to a significant emergency response including searches by air and sea.
Despite the efforts of rescue teams, including the deployment of sonar and underwater search equipment, the three crew members aboard ‘L’Ecume II’— skipper Michael Michieli and two crew members; Jervis Baligat and Larry Simyunn — were tragically lost. Their bodies were later recovered after a comprehensive search operation.
In the immediate aftermath, Jersey’s authorities launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Skipper Michael Michieli (centre), along with crewmen Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat onboard the l’Ecume II when it sank
Operation Nectar involved a multi-agency approach, with the States of Jersey Police leading the investigation. The operation included efforts to recover the wreckage of L’Ecume II, which was eventually brought to the surface, and a focus on determining the circumstances that led to the collision. The investigation is seeking to uncover whether any criminal actions or negligence contributed to the disaster.
In an update, the State of Jersey Police confirmed that two men have now been charged in relation to Operation Nectar as follows:
- Lewis Peter CARR and Artur SEVASH-ZADE, on 8 December 2022, within the territorial waters of Jersey, unlawfully killed Larry Ladion Simyunn.
- Lewis Peter CARR and Artur SEVASH-ZADE, on 8 December 2022, within the territorial waters of Jersey, unlawfully killed Jervis Ramirez Baligat.
- Lewis Peter CARR and Artur SEVASH-ZADE, on 8 December 2022, within the territorial waters of Jersey, unlawfully killed Michael Michieli.
Twenty-nine-year-old Lewis Carr, from Sunderland, is currently on bail and will be back in court on 27 September.
Thirty-four-year-old Artur Sevash- Zade, a Ukrainian national, has been remanded in custody in Jersey’s prison and he’s due to appear in court again on 06 September.