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Press Notice No: 376/08
Wednesday,
November 19, 2008
Posted 13:35 GMT
DRUNK MASTER OF LADEN CHEMICAL TANKER SENTENCED AT COURT
At
Snaresbrook Crown Court today, Captain Gonchar Volodymyr aged 53, was sentenced to two months in jail,
and will be deported upon completion of the sentence after pleading guilty to being the Master of a
ship whilst being over the alcohol limit.
The
`Elousa Trikoukiotisa’
On the 4th November 2008,
Gonchar Volodymyr, a Ukrainian, was Master of the Cypriot registered chemical tanker; Elousa Trikoukiotisa
bound for London from Rostock in Northern Germany. The vessel was laden with Ammonium Nitrate in liquid
form and had a crew of 15 on board. When the pilot boarded at the Sunk boarding area, he reported to
the Port Authority that the Master appeared drunk.
Metropolitan Police officers boarded the vessel berthed at Dagenham Dock and administered a breath test
which proved positive. The Captain was arrested and taken to Dagenham Police Station where a later breath test indicated 103
micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit for seafarers is 35, the same as
for road users.
On passing sentence, Her Honour Judge J Hughes QC took into account Mr. Volodymyrs previous good character
and record. She noted that he had now lost his job and the effects of the sentence upon his career.
However she also noted the nature of cargo and that the navigation of vessel had been satisfactory,
but that was down to Chief Officer who had taken over. It was also brought up in court that the Master
had signed the ships documents stating no alcohol onboard but that he had said that it had been 8 hrs
since his last drink.
Bryan Hopkins, Surveyor-in-Charge at the MCAs Orpington Marine Office said,
Although the limit is the same as for road drivers, I cannot emphasise the seriousness of this situation. Captain Volodymyr was in command of a vessel that had a strict no alcohol policy with 15 persons on
board and carrying a dangerous cargo transiting one of the busiest shipping areas in the world. The
Captain was relieved of his command by the ships owners following his arrest.
Posted By: Mark Clark
For
further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023
8032 9401