Two Ferry Crewmen Convicted of Manslaughter in Fatal 2011 Collision

The captain and first mate of a British ferry that collided into a fishing boat at high speed, killing its skipper, were convicted of manslaughter by a French court, but given suspended sentences.

The court gave former captain Paul Le Romancer, 59, an 18-month suspended sentence and first mate Yves Tournon, 48, a 12-month suspended sentence.

The Condor Vitesse, owned by Britain's Condor Ferries, had reportedly been travelling at high speed (38 knots) in thick fog when it struck into the fishing vessel on March 28, 2011. The collision took place in the English Channel, between the French port of Saint Malo and the island of Jersey. The 285-foot ferry sliced the 30-foot fishing boat in half, killing its captain Philippe Lesaulnier, a 42-year-old father of four. The fishing boat's two other crewmembers were rescued unharmed.

Evidence from the ferry’s black box data recorder revealed that the captain and first mate had been distracted before the crash and did not pay enough attention to their radar. Prosecutors claimed that the men had also deactivated the ship's anti-collision system and had not turned on its fog horn.

In their defense, both officers said they believed the ferry's radars were working correctly. The captain admitted that the ferry had been going fast when it hit the fishing boat, but the speed had not been extreme. Both also said they were concentrating fully on their duties at the time of the crash.

Prosecutors had called for the ferry’s captain to be sentenced to a year in prison and for the first mate to face six months. It was not immediately clear if prosecutors would appeal the court's ruling. Condor Ferries was not prosecuted.