Specialist equipment arrives in Jersey to recover L'Ecume II wreckage

The L'Ecume II fishing trawler that sank in Jersey's waters could be recovered next week.

A 21-metre support vessel has arrived in the island and will act as a floating base for specialist divers as they carry out the operation.

Three fishermen were aboard the L'Ecume II when it collided with the Commodore Goodwill on 8 December 2022, with two bodies later recovered.

Officials believe missing skipper Michael Michieli remains on-board the vessel.

The current maritime exclusion zone around the wreckage will be quadrupled to 1,000 metres during the recovery operation.

A notice will be sent out by the harbour master once a timeframe is confirmed.

Deputy Chief Minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: "Raising the L’Ecume II will assist with the ongoing police investigation by providing access to potentially the best available evidence, but there is also an important humanitarian aspect to raising the wreck, which I hope will bring the bereaved families closer to the answers they have been seeking."

The team of divers is due to arrive this week and will first carry out an underwater survey to gather debris and examine the wreck that is at least 40 metres below sea level.

A 60-metre crane barge and 20-metre tugboat have also made their way to Jersey ahead of the planned lifting of the L'Ecume II.

Once the dive team has finished its preparations there will need to be five days of good weather to recover the boat - which will then be transported to La Collette and stored in a secure location.

Several roads will be closed when the L'Ecume II is transported outside of business hours, with more information on any diversions expected nearer the time.

Jersey Police will take control of the wreckage once it is on land as part of their investigation into what happened.