MALTA (18 Oct 2005) -- The captain of a ship that caused the death of a Dutch diver last summer yesterday asserted he was not responsible for the operations on the vessel when the accident took place. He said the ship's bow thruster was found running after the man was killed. The German captain and chief engineer of the Verlaine, Peter Bargmann, 63, and Herman Dieter Raake, 57, are accused of causing the death of 40-year-old diver Raymond Van Beck through negligence at around 10am on 11 July. Capt. Bargmann took the stand yesterday and said that when the accident occurred he was on the diver's launch. Therefore, responsibility for the ship's operations fell to the chief officer - a man he referred to as Mr Flink. Before going on the diver's launch, Capt. Bargmann explained he had met Mr Van Beck in his office on the Verlaine and the diver had supplied a safety checklist. He had been appointed to carry out an underwater inspection of the ship's hull. The captain noted that several inspections had been carried out that day, including one within the engine room. He and Mr Van Beck had signed the checklist after all requirements were met. Although Mr Flink had to sign it too, he was not around at the time and said over the telephone that he agreed. When he left the Verlaine, the bow thruster, the part of the vessel believed to have killed Mr Van Beck, was not on. "I would have heard it and felt it if it were," Capt Bargmann said, adding it was very noisy. He had checked the bridge panel, the ship's main controls and saw that all the control lights were switched off. | | The accused said he the boarded the diver's launch with Mr Van Beck. "We were chatting before he jumped in the water - there was no danger." The captain said he was watching the monitors that made audio and visual contact with the diver when suddenly both screens crackled and went off. Mr Van Beck had been under water for around 15 minutes. The captain went outside the launch's cabin and saw bubbles and what seemed like pieces of Mr Van Beck's diving suit. Capt Bargmann said he immediately called Mr Flink, the chief officer he had left in charge of the vessel. Mr Flink told him the bow thruster was running in neutral position. "Mr Flink switched it off and said he did not know who had switched it on. I called Mr Raake but no one could give any explanation," the captain continued. He also explained that turning on the bow thrusters was not a question of simply flicking a switch, but was a four-step course of action. The case continues. Inspectors Johan Fenech and Noel Cutajar prosecuted. Dr Stefano Filletti appeared for the accused. Magistrate Abigail Lofaro officiated the court. SOURCE - The Malta Independent |
