Croatian police arrest catamaran first officer after collision near Split in which Czechs died
Croatian investigators have arrested the first officer of the catamaran Krilo Eclipse, which collided with a sailing boat on Sunday. Four Czech nationals died in the collision.
Croatian police arrest catamaran first officer after collision near Split in which Czechs died
Croatian police officers arrested the first officer of the catamaran Krilo Eclipse on Wednesday. The vessel collided with a sailing boat on Sunday in the Splitska vrata strait between the islands of Brač and Šolta. Four Czech nationals died in the accident.
"One person has been detained on suspicion of responsibility for a maritime accident that occurred between the islands of Šolta and Brač and in which four people died," said Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović. According to the portal Index.hr, he did not confirm that the detained 33-year-old is the first officer from the catamaran, but stressed that at the time of the collision the captain was not on the bridge, and the first officer could have been operating the vessel.
Police have charged the man with a serious criminal offence against maritime traffic safety and with the negligent death of four people. In the case of the strictest sentence, he faces up to fifteen years in prison.
The Czechs on the sailing boat reportedly noticed the approaching catamaran and thought they would manage to avoid it. The final course change did not save them before the collision, according to the Dalmatinski portal.
Source: Novinky.cz
Source: Novinky.cz