L’Ecume II: Jury shown radar images in the moments leading up to collision

Jurors have been shown images from the Commodore Goodwill's radar system, illustrating the decisions made in the lead-up to the ship’s fatal collision with the L'Ecume II fishing trawler.

Prosecuting, Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit continued his opening statement this morning (2 September 2025), including showing the court a sped-up timeline of events on the Goodwill’s radar screen, charting its course as it approached Jersey from St Peter Port Harbour on 8 December 2022.

Three fishermen died when their vessel sank following impact with the freight ship.

The prosecution detailed the moments Second Officer Lewis Carr took control of navigation at 4:56 am.

The court heard that at 5:00 am, lookout Artur Sevash-Zade joined Lewis Carr at the bridge, before leaving for an unscheduled breakfast four minutes later.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"No, I'm okay"

"You don't want? Can I go now?"

"Yep, yeah."

- SVD audio recording at 5:04 am

Mr Maletroit called this 'extremely bad practice on behalf of both defendants', saying the lookout had 'only just started his shift' and was 'knowingly breaking the rules of the ship' which, he told the court, state the lookout must remain on the bridge as 'lookout duties are more challenging at night'.

He continues to tell the jury 'it is simply unacceptable' to have one person manning the bridge of a freight ship at night.

However, the prosecution highlighted that Artur Sevash-Zade's leaving the bridge is not the cause of the collision but was a 'reckless attitude to safe bridge watching'.

READ: Court hears L'Ecume II should have been spotted 10 minutes before collision

 Artur Sevash-Zade and Lewis Peter Carr

At the 5:15 am mark, L'Ecume II became a visible target on both the S-band and X-band radars.

Following this, between 5:22 am and 5:24 am, Mr Maletroit said the Goodwill changed course by seven degrees to the right, in what he told the court was an attempt by the Second Officer to avoid the L'Ecume II, by using the autopilot wheel and changing course.

At around the same time, Jervis Baligat, one of the L’Ecume II crew, sent a text message to a friend, telling him he had left a key for the front door and there was chicken for him at home.

He also told his friend that he had already left for sea.

It was the last communication from the trawler’s crew.

Jervis Balligat (left), Michael Michieli (centre), Larry Simyunn (right)

Audio from the SVD was played for the court again at the 5:25 am mark.

Lewis Carr: "It's forwards"

Artur Sevash-Zade: "On the port (left), yeah"

Crown Advocate Maletroit told the jury this was an acknowledgement of the L'Ecume II.

He continued, saying that Lewis Carr started focusing on pre-arrival tasks, including paperwork, and going back and forth from the chart table to the radar to keep lookout.

The court heard that Artur Sevash-Zade also went to complete pre-arrival preparations on the bridge wings.

Mr Maletroit said changes were made by both men to the radar maps whilst the collision signs were flashing.

"By ignoring the collision warnings, they showed reckless indifference to everyone on board both vessels."

Both defendants each deny three counts of manslaughter relating to the deaths of skipper Michael Michieli and his crew Jervis and Larry Simyunn. They also deny conduct endangering a ship by failing to maintain a 'proper lookout'.

The trial continues.