The National Court judge Ismael Moreno has opened oral proceedings against two executives and the captain of the Pitanxo ship for 21 negligent homicides and imposes a bail of 44 million euros.
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The instructor has taken the final step to bring them to the dock for the death of 21 crew members during the shipwreck that occurred in February 2022 in the waters of Newfoundland (Canada).
The magistrate agrees to send to trial the administrator of Pesquerías Nores Marín, José Antonio Nores Rodríguez, the Fleet Director, José Antonio Nores Ortega, and the captain of the ship Juan Enrique Padín for 21 counts of homicide due to gross negligence and one count of negligent injury in ideal concurrence with another crime against workers’ rights.
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In his resolution, which includes the writings of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and private accusations, the instructor designates the commercial entity Pesquerías Nores Marín SL as subsidiary civil liable and the insurance company British Marine Luxembourg SA as direct civil liable.
Moreno requires the three accused to deposit 44 million euros within one day as bail to guarantee the pecuniary liabilities that may be imposed on them in judgment and requires the subsidiary civil liable party, Pesquerías Nores, to provide the same amount jointly and severally with the previous three, as well as the civil liable party, the insurer British Marine Luxembourg SA.
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The judge summons the three accused and the legal representative of Marisquerías Nores on July 28 at 10:30 a.m. to deliver the order for the opening of oral proceedings, given the significance and concurrent circumstances, and in order to avoid undue delays to expedite the processing of the procedure.
From now on, the defenses have a period of ten days to present their qualification briefs and, if applicable, propose the evidence they deem appropriate for the oral hearing. The court has designated the Criminal Chamber of the National Court as the body responsible for prosecuting this procedure.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office requests nine years in prison for the accused, considering that “various factors contributed to the sinking of the vessel, with its tragic consequences, with the responsibility of the investigated parties, who had decision-making, execution, and control powers over the work performed, and who allowed the activity to be carried out in unsafe conditions, with disregard for preventive measures and with gross contempt for the life and physical integrity of the ship’s crew, which led to the fatal outcome.”
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