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Report: Both ships share responsibility for allision

The allision of the "Virgin Star" and the "Ulysse" was caused by a series of human errors, with investigators pointing fingers to both sides. The ferry slammed into the container ship that was anchored several kilometres off the island Corsica. A joined investigation with a team of experts from Cyprus, Tunisia, and France have just issued a report, blaming the watch officers on both vessels, saying one captain of the "Ulysse" was talking privately on his phone while the other ignored radar alarms. He was far from the radar screen that warns of danger. But the official also pointed fingers to the container ship saying it was unusual that a commercial vessel would throw anchor in a lane used by merchant ships. A separate French investigation is still ongoing, with sources pointing to experts trying to assess the environmental impact and pollution from the accident. The two ships were insured by the same company, with an estimated total damages of at least 13.5 million Euros. Cleaning coastal waters also had a price tag of about an extra 10 million Euros. The ferry is under repair at Menzel Bourguiba since about two months, the "Virgin Star" headed to the breakers.

Ferry arrived in repair port

The "Ulysse" on Oct 16 arrived at the yards of the Société Tunisienne de Réparation Mécanique in the port of Menzel Bourguiba, in the governorate of Bizerte, where she was now waiting for the completion of the prescribed procedures before undergoing the necessary technical assessemts in preparation to repair it. French and Cypriot investigators were expected on board on Oct 16 in this regard.

Captain of ferry to blame for collision

The collision of the "Ulysses" and the "CLS Virginia" about 28 km north of Cap Corse in French waters on Oct 7 was caused by human failure. While the data of the VDR of both ships have not yet been analyzed, it occurred undeniable that there was a human error, intentional or not, of the captain of the “Ulysses” since he has never tried to avoid the collision with the container ship. The French maritime authorities, however, failed to alert the two ships before the collision. There was a routine communication 40 minutes before the accident, but after that no communication took place. For the moment, all these data were being analyzed by a Tunisian, Cypriot and French commission of inquiry under the vigilance of the international transport organization which ensured the proper conduct of the investigation.