Trial for 2015 boat crash incident commences

Three years after a boat operator allegedly endangered life by reportedly crashing his vessel into a manned dingy, a trial has commenced in the Magistrate’s Court in relation to the matter.

Charged with conduct endangering ship and person, failure to give way in a crossing situation, failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to proceed at a safe speed, and unsafe operation of a vessel is John Magnaldi of the United States.

The trial was initially set for October 2017 but was adjourned because of the hurricanes.

Allegations

The Magistrate’s Court heard that about 7 pm on December 15, 2015, Magnaldi was on his way from Peter Island to Manuel Reef Marina on Tortola.

When he arrived in an area called the Red Channel Marker, his 33-foot fishing vessel collided with an inflatable dinghy belonging to Ahmad Mahoney.

The court heard that Mahoney was heading to West End from Road Town. The dinghy operator sustained abrasions to his face and injuries to his shoulder and was subsequently taken to Peebles Hospital for medical attention.

Both the dinghy and the vessel sustained damage during the collision.

The boat received scratches to the stern and a hole to the lower side of the bow, while the dinghy received a massive hole in its bow.

Magnaldi, who was later charged with the offences told police that the dinghy collided with him.

The Crown called its first two witnesses at the beginning of the trial on Tuesday — Sergeant Royston Da Silva of the Police Marine Unit and Inspector Wendell Ballantyne.

Ballantyne was responsible for capturing photographic evidence of both vessels while Da Silva was responsible for collating the coordinates where the incident occurred.

The trial continues on April 2 before Magistrate Jack Husbands.

Defence attorney Patrick Thompson represents the accused.