THE ambassador of the Philippines to the UK attended a memorial service in Jersey yesterday for the three fishermen who died in the L’Ecume II sinking.
His Excellency, Teodoro Locsin Jr, spoke of the “deep-felt” grief stemming from the loss of skipper Michael Michieli and Filipino crew members Jervis Ramirez Baligat and Larry Simyunn as a result of the maritime tragedy in December 2022.
All three men died following a collision between their fishing boat – L’Ecume II – and Condor’s Commodore Goodwill freight ship off Jersey’s west coast.
Two men have been charged with the unlawful killing of the fishermen and have both pleaded not guilty. Lewis Peter Carr and Artur Sevash-Zade are on conditional bail and due to return to court on 15 November, when a trial date will be set.
A memorial service for the crew of L’Ecume II was held at St Thomas’ Church yesterday evening.
Mr Locsin Jr, who was in Jersey for the first time, explained that the service was a central part of his visit to the Island.
“When it comes to tragedies like that, [a] man should be at a loss for words. But the grief is deep-felt, the loss, completely irrecoverable,” he added, expressing sympathy for the families affected.
He also noted that Mr Michieli’s daughter, Rebecca, set up a fundraiser for the families of Mr Simyunn and Mr Baligat shortly after the tragedy. She was named Volunteer/Fundraiser of the Year at last year’s Pride of Jersey Awards for her fundraising efforts.
Mr Locsin Jr said: “Our people are poor, but what they do, they know how to do well.
“She [Rebecca Michieli] hit the nail on the head – she knew how to take care of them.”
External Relations Minister Ian Gorst said: “It’s an important visit for His Excellency, to be able to come and attend that memorial service.”
He continued: “It was a tragic accident with a loss of human life and we shouldn’t forget it,” adding that Mr Simyunn and Mr Baligat were “thousands of miles away from their homeland”.
Deputy Gorst said he hoped the Filipino diaspora community had felt “the warmth of our community response” following the tragedy.
“Whether that was my predecessor or the previous Chief Minister engaging with the embassy and with Manila, or it was citizens raising money and putting it into the fund, or it was community colleagues making the diaspora feel welcome.
“It really brought, I think, us together as a community – with the Filipino community, and I hope that out of that tragic accident, we value that community more than perhaps we did previously.”
