Condor ferry crew convicted of manslaughter

Friday, 13 Sep, 2013 0

The captain and first officer of a Condor fast ferry that crashed into a fishing boat off Jersey, killing its skipper, have been convicted of manslaughter.

French skipper Philippe Le Saulnier, a father of four, died when the Condor Vitesse collided with his 30ft fishing boat in March 2011.

At a court in Normandy this week, the ferry’s captain Paul Le Romancer, 58, from Strasbourg, was given an 18-month suspended sentence and the first officer, Yves Tournon, 48, from Argenteuil, was given a 12-month suspended term.

The trial was told the ferry was going too fast for the conditions when it hit the fishing boat, splitting it in two.

Black box data recordings revealed the captain and crew had been chatting about a TV film featuring Catwoman and had failed to notice a blip on the Condor’s radar screen that showed the fishing boat in their path.

Condor Ferries is not facing criminal prosecution.

Chief executive James Fulford said: “Condor Ferries fully respects both the process and decisions of the court. Whilst we welcome the conclusion that this brings to this very sad process, our thoughts and sympathies remain with M. Le Saulnier’s family.”

Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

Air Transat is Canada’s number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries...

In the heart of Europe, in one of the most innovative cities in the world, at the centre of business,...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

Celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2022, Regent Seven Seas Cruises® offers guests An Unrivaled Experience® with every luxury included. Carrying...

Why Avalon Waterways: Happiness flows on an Avalon river cruise. From Asia to South America and Europe to the Nile,...

Local spices spike the fragrant air of Morocco. Cradled by the dunes of the Sahara, the Kingdom has been inhabited...

For over 18 years and over 106 completed events, the Travel & Adventure Show has connected over 2.5 million travel...

The Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna – POT) is one of several dozen national tourism organisations operating in the...

Global Hotel Alliance brings together a unique collection of independent hospitality brands for GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme. GHA...

IHG Hotels & Resorts: Redefining Hospitality Excellence IHG Hotels & Resorts is a globally renowned hospitality company that stands at...

Destination British Columbia (Destination BC) is a Provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...