Former chief mate, 26-year-old Iphan Finley, told the Commission that the day after the fatal collision, he was approached by the ship’s captain, Rodney Miller, who asked him to add his name to the log book, to satisfy the requirement that two licensed officers be on a vessel at all times.
The statement was made as testimony continued at the Ministry of Education’s building on Thompson Boulevard into the collision of the United Star and the Sea Hauler, which resulted in four deaths and 25 persons being injured.
Mr. Finley, dressed in a dark suit, told the Commission that on Friday, August 1, the United Star departed the capital with only one licensed officer onboard, that being Captain Miller.
Prior engagement
The witness, who is a licensed officer, said he was not onboard the vessel during that trip because he had a prior engagement.
However, he said, while at Potter’s Cay Dock on Saturday, August 2, he heard about the accident and decided to get in contact with Captain Miller via a cell phone to find out exactly what had transpired.
Asleep at the wheel
Mr. Finley said it was at this time that Captain Miller admitted to being asleep and that Desnal Hanna, an unlicensed crew member was on watch at the time of the incident and reversed the vessel, after which time he shouted for Miller to return to the bridge.
The witness further said that Captain Miller admitted that if he (Finley) was onboard, the accident would not have happened.
The following day, Mr. Finley said, he went to the United Star to collect a television, when he was summoned to the bridge by Captain Miller, who at the time informed him that there were supposed to be two licensed officers onboard the vessel during a voyage.
Strong objection
As a result, the witness said, Captain Miller intimated that he would alter the ship’s log book to indicate both his and Finley’s name. The witness told the Commission he strongly objected and told the captain to do no such thing.
“I said my name was not going in that log book,” Mr. Finley forcefully told the Commission.
Shortly after this incident, the witness said, he was asked to work on the United Spirit, a sister vessel of the United Star. Mr. Finley said this was a proposition he did not agree to.
Motive questioned
Under cross examination, United Star attorney Kendal Wright submitted that it was only after he (Finley) had gotten angry about being transferred that he opted to make the statement on the incident.
Finley left the United Star a week after the collision.
Attorney Wright submitted that Captain Miller made no suggestion to have his name added to the log book.
Witness retorts
“Were you there to tell me, he did not tell me that,” the witness retorted. “Yes, they indicated that to me. I told him that he made this monkey and he would have to kill it.”
Reportedly, Mr. Finley did not make a report until September, at least a month after the August 2 collision occurred.
He said that this was due to the fact that he was attending a school abroad during the time.
‘No one at the helm’
Also giving evidence was Assistant Port Controller, Captain Cyril Roker, who questioned United Star’s Captain Miller and the Sea Hauler’s Captain Alan Russell, hours after the accident.
He told the Commission that both captains were away from the bridge at the time of the collision.
Mr. Roker said Captain Miller left the bridge to rest sometime around 10 p.m. on August 1, and was to return around 2 a.m.
Blips, then collision
He said that before Captain Miller left the bridge he noticed that there were a few targets on the radar screen, but was concerned about a particular target that was 10 miles out at a 35 degree angle.
With regard to the Sea Hauler, the witness said, Captain Russell stepped away from the bridge to use the bathroom. He said two-to-three minutes later, the two vessels collided.
“Captain Russell brought the vessel to a complete stop and he asked his employee to assess the damage in the engine room to see if they were taking on any water. He also instructed other crew members of the vessel to see what was taking place. He decided to send out a distress help signal,” Mr Roker said.
He told the Commission that both vessels had their running lights on and both radars were working.
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
