Four people - a man and a woman, as well as two young children - were aboard the pleasure boat when it was hit by the Norwegian cargo ship Misja Verde off Tjörn in July. The man and one of the children were rescued, but the woman and the other child died in the accident.
A few minutes later, the cargo ship also passed another pleasure boat at close range.
Now the ship's captain and the pilot who was on board are being charged.
"It is unusual for a pilot to be prosecuted for having been involved in a maritime accident involving the piloted vessel. In this case, the police investigation revealed that the pilot took a very active role in the vessel's operation and accepted that the master was doing other things on the bridge than those related to operation, such as looking out. In that case, it is reasonable that the pilot's responsibility for the accident should also be examined by a court," says prosecutor James von Reis in a press release.
Radar review
Both pleasure boats were clearly visible on the cargo ship's radar before the serious boat accident, according to a recent status report from the Swedish Maritime Accident Investigation Board. The cargo ship was travelling at a speed of approximately 12 knots when it collided with the pleasure boat, according to the report.
"An important task for the investigation is to answer the question of why they did not notice each other," the commission writes.
Denies crime
The technical evidence, including GPS positions, has meant that the police investigation has taken an unusually short time, notes James von Reis, who otherwise does not want to comment on the case until after the verdict.
"Therefore, we now know for sure what could be seen in real time on radar screens on the bridge and what was said by those who were there. The division of roles between the master and the pilot has emerged and not least the important fact that the recreational boat that was caught up and hit was clearly visible as a radar echo on displays on the bridge, information that was missed by both defendants," he says.
Both defendants deny the crime.
"My client has no different attitude than before. He denies the crime and disputes responsibility," says Taavi Tuula, who defends the captain.
