Condor ferry sailors' manslaughter trial hears of film chat

Philippe Lesaulnier, who was married with four children, died instantly in the collision

A ferry captain and his first mate were distracted chatting about a film when their ship collided with a fishing boat, a manslaughter trial has heard.

French fishing boat skipper Philippe Lesaulnier died when the Condor Vitesse collided with his boat in March 2011.

Former Condor Ferries captain Paul Le Romancer and first mate Yves Tournon, from France, deny manslaughter in their trial, in a court in north-west France.

They have been accused of causing the death through "blunder and negligence".

Mr Le Romancer and Mr Tournon are also charged with involuntary injury and failing to respect maritime regulations.

The Condor Vitesse was travelling from St Malo to Jersey at the time of the collision.

Speed 'not excessive'

The trial is being heard in the Coutances High Court. Announcing the charges two weeks ago, Coutances prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul formally accused the two men of causing Mr Lesaulnier's death "by blunder, inattention and negligence".

The court heard from a 2011 report by French maritime organisation, the BEA, that 58-year-old captain Mr Le Romancer and his first mate Mr Tournon, 48, were allegedly distracted chatting about a film when the passenger ferry collided with the fishing boat in thick fog.

The wreckage of Mr Lesaulnier's boat, Les Marquises, was raised from the sea bed in 2012

The investigation found the ferry, which was travelling at about 45 mph (38 knots), was travelling too fast in the conditions when it hit the 30ft (9.1m) fishing boat Les Marquises and split it in two.

It also said the captain and first mate were not paying enough attention and had not switched on the fog horn.

In their evidence both officers said as far as they were concerned the boat's radars, which had been set up in non-standard configuration ahead of the journey, were working correctly.

Captain Le Romancer accepted the ferry had been travelling fast when it hit the fishing boat, but he argued that it had not been excessive in the situation.

Both said they were concentrating fully on their duties at the time of the crash.

The other two fishermen on board Les Marquises when it was hit described the moment.

Francois Duval said he barely had time to hear the ferry's engines and cry out before the boat was hit.

Lifetime ban call

Mrs Lesaulnier was in court and said she was disappointed the two men did not even seem to recognize their responsibility in her husband's death and she said she found their arguments completely unconvincing.

The state prosecutor has called for Mr Le Romancer to be given a three-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and Mr Tournon, 48, to be given the same sentence but with 30 months suspended, meaning they could serve a year and six months respectively.

He has also asked for both to be banned from ever serving as a ship's officer again.

The defence said those sentences would be too harsh.

After hearing the evidence the judge suspended the hearing until 11 September.

The Guernsey-based company Condor Ferries is not facing criminal prosecution.