Villa de Pitanxo Captain and Owners Face 9 Years for Death of 21 Sailors. The Spanish prosecutor's office is seeking a 9-year prison sentence for the captain and two owners of the Villa de Pitanxo. They are accused of negligence that led to the deaths of 21 crew members. The trial concerns one of the most severe maritime disasters in recent years.
The Spanish prosecutor's office has charged the captain of the Villa de Pitanxo vessel and two owners of the company Pesquerías Nores after the fishing trawler sank off the coast of Canada, resulting in the deaths of 21 people. According to investigators, the tragedy was the result of a series of gross safety violations and negligence on the part of the ship's management.
In the indictment submitted to the National Court, the prosecutor is seeking 9 years in prison each for the captain, Juan Enrique Padín Coastas, as well as for the company owners, José Antonio Nores Rodríguez and José Antonio Nores Ortega. In addition, they face a 13-year ban from working in the fishing industry. Pesquerías Nores and the insurer British Marine have been named as civil defendants in the case.
According to the investigation, the vessel was overloaded, and some additional fuel was stored in unauthorized tanks not specified in the ship's design. As a result, the scupper was too close to the water's surface, increasing the risk of water entering the vessel. The prosecutor notes that the captain and owners were not only aware of these modifications but also approved them, violating operational and safety regulations.
On the night of February 15, 2022, while the vessel was in the waters off the coast of Newfoundland, there were issues with the fishing equipment. As weather conditions worsened and waves reached 10 meters, the crew began preparations to unload the catch. At that moment, water started entering the hold, and the automatic pumps could not cope with the volume. An hour after the incident began, the vessel lost propulsion due to a severe list, main systems shut down, and the captain gave the order to abandon ship.
Out of the 24 crew members, only three survived. Nine bodies were recovered from the water, while the remaining 12 sailors are listed as missing. The key prosecution witness is one of the survivors, Samuel Kwesi, whose testimony differs from the account given by the captain and his relative. His statements are supported by technical and documentary evidence collected during the investigation, including data from a depth of 750 meters, where the vessel's hull was found.
The prosecution emphasizes that the actions of the accused demonstrated blatant disregard for the life and safety of the crew. The case file includes reports from the Marine Accident Investigation Commission (CIAIM) and the results of expert examinations confirming violations. Court proceedings for this case have not yet been scheduled, but it has already sparked significant public outcry in Spain and among the families of the victims.
In the context of other high-profile court decisions in Spain, it is worth noting that footballer Maikel Mesa was recently sentenced to eight months in prison for assault — more details on this case can be found in the article about the punishment of the CD Tenerife player.
For reference: The Villa de Pitanxo sank in February 2022 in an area known for challenging weather conditions and frequent accidents involving fishing vessels. According to Spanish authorities, investigations into such disasters take months due to the need for deep-sea search operations and analysis of technical documentation. In recent years, Spain has tightened maritime safety requirements, but the Villa de Pitanxo tragedy has once again raised the issue of monitoring compliance with standards in practice.
