This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24670515
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Roland Wilson: Cowes Week yacht crash skipper guilty | Roland Wilson: Cowes Week yacht crash skipper guilty |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Royal Navy officer who was skippering a racing yacht that hit an oil tanker in the Solent has been found guilty of contravening maritime regulations. | A Royal Navy officer who was skippering a racing yacht that hit an oil tanker in the Solent has been found guilty of contravening maritime regulations. |
| The Atalanta of Chester, belonging to Lt Roland Wilson, of Stanley, Perthshire, collided with the 260m-long Hanne Knutsen during Cowes Week 2011. | The Atalanta of Chester, belonging to Lt Roland Wilson, of Stanley, Perthshire, collided with the 260m-long Hanne Knutsen during Cowes Week 2011. |
| The 32-year-old was convicted at Southampton Magistrates' Court of impeding the passage of a vessel. | The 32-year-old was convicted at Southampton Magistrates' Court of impeding the passage of a vessel. |
| He was also found guilty of failing to keep a proper lookout. | He was also found guilty of failing to keep a proper lookout. |
| Mr Wilson, who was a serving Royal Navy officer at the time but is now a lieutenant in the reserves, had seen the tanker from five miles (8km) away, Southampton Crown Court heard. | Mr Wilson, who was a serving Royal Navy officer at the time but is now a lieutenant in the reserves, had seen the tanker from five miles (8km) away, Southampton Crown Court heard. |
| It had been making its way to Fawley oil refinery. Wilson had told the court the ship had signalled to turn but never did, describing its manoeuvre as "unexpected". | It had been making its way to Fawley oil refinery. Wilson had told the court the ship had signalled to turn but never did, describing its manoeuvre as "unexpected". |
| District Judge Anthony Callaway said he took the wrong decision in continuing towards the path of the tanker and not taking evasive action. | District Judge Anthony Callaway said he took the wrong decision in continuing towards the path of the tanker and not taking evasive action. |
| The moment of impact was filmed and the video posted on YouTube, where it was watched more than 924,000 times. | |
| Mr Callaway said: "Fortuitous it was that there was no loss of life. The potential for even greater and tragic consequence is, in my judgement, apparent. | Mr Callaway said: "Fortuitous it was that there was no loss of life. The potential for even greater and tragic consequence is, in my judgement, apparent. |
| '£100,000 costs' | |
| "This was a serious yacht crewed by serious people in a regatta for a serious purpose. It was well equipped in terms of experience and ability to deal with any situation. | "This was a serious yacht crewed by serious people in a regatta for a serious purpose. It was well equipped in terms of experience and ability to deal with any situation. |
| "This was not some Saturday afternoon jaunt by some inadequate vessel crewed by inexperienced, clueless and foolhardy people who frankly have no business being on the water at all. | "This was not some Saturday afternoon jaunt by some inadequate vessel crewed by inexperienced, clueless and foolhardy people who frankly have no business being on the water at all. |
| "The yacht took a decision, and as I find the wrong decision, to sail towards the problem into the path of the tanker across a narrow channel. It should have kept clear and in the worst event used her engine." | "The yacht took a decision, and as I find the wrong decision, to sail towards the problem into the path of the tanker across a narrow channel. It should have kept clear and in the worst event used her engine." |
| The judge said conditions in the Solent were crowded due to Cowes Week but the yacht's crew were experienced enough to perform the "difficult manoeuvre". | |
| He added: "The fact it didn't do so was the product not of a lack of skill, but the product of the wrong decision at the wrong time, for which the skipper, Roland Wilson, must take responsibility." | He added: "The fact it didn't do so was the product not of a lack of skill, but the product of the wrong decision at the wrong time, for which the skipper, Roland Wilson, must take responsibility." |
| Mr Wilson was ordered to pay a fine of £3,000, and costs of more than £100,000. | |
| The yacht, which had a crew of eight, suffered a damaged mast and its sail almost became entangled in the anchor of the Hanne Knutsen. | The yacht, which had a crew of eight, suffered a damaged mast and its sail almost became entangled in the anchor of the Hanne Knutsen. |
| One crew member suffered minor head injuries and another abandoned ship after the collision with the 120,000-tonne tanker. | One crew member suffered minor head injuries and another abandoned ship after the collision with the 120,000-tonne tanker. |
| Mr Wilson was convicted of one count of failing to keep a proper lookout and two counts of impeding the passage of a tanker in a restricted channel. |