Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Gnv-Auriga

In a tragic maritime incident that occurred on August 10, 2023, off Capo Figari, Senegalese sailor Mande' Diome, aged 41, lost his life due to a collision between the fishing vessel 'Alemax II' (MMSI: 247153630) and the ferry 'Sharden', which is currently known as 'GNV Auriga'. In connection with this heartbreaking event, three defendants have been sentenced to prison terms varying from 10 months to one year and 10 months. The defendants—Captain Luigi Coppola, who received a 10-month sentence, 2nd Officer Mimmo Ceserale, and Pilot Giacomo Mereu, both sentenced to one year and 10 months—pleaded guilty to charges including shipwreck, manslaughter, and failure to provide assistance during the proceedings overseen by Investigating Judge Marcella Pinna in Tempio. In a remarkable twist, Mario Langiu, the captain of the 'Alemax II', survived the crash despite being ejected into the water. The 28-year-old from Golfo Aranci clung to a piece of debris from his vessel and used a flare to signal for help, successfully attracting the attention of a nearby sailing boat that conducted his rescue. Regrettably, as it stands, neither the family of the deceased sailor nor Captain Langiu is entitled to compensation, as the plea bargain negotiated by the preliminary investigations judge has precluded civil parties from joining the case. This outcome leaves a lingering sense of injustice for those affected by the tragic collision.

A serious maritime incident occurred on August 10, 2023, at 10:20 p.m. LT, when the ferry 'Sharden' collided with the fishing vessel 'Alemax II' approximately two nautical miles off Capo Figari, Sardinia. The collision led to the sinking of the 'Alemax II', resulting in one crew member going missing. Fortunately, the master of the fishing vessel was rescued by a passing sailing yacht and received medical attention at a hospital in Olbia. The 'Sharden' continued its journey, arriving in Livorno on August 11 at 9:20 a.m. In response to the event, Italian authorities have initiated an official investigation. Search operations involving the Coast Guard, the Air Force, and local tugs are currently underway to locate the missing fisherman.

On February 14, 2018, at approximately 8 a.m., the ferry "Sharden" was involved in an allision with the Colombo pier in Genoa while arriving from Porto Torres. The incident occurred as a result of a miscalculated berthing maneuver, leading to significant damage to the port side stern of the vessel near the waterline. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the passengers, who were safely disembarked as per normal procedures once the ferry was docked. In response to the incident, the Tirrenia Company promptly alerted the appropriate authorities regarding the accident. Efforts for repairs began with the ferry entering Genova Drydock at 1:30 p.m. the same day. To maintain operations, the company deployed the ferry "Janas" as a substitute, which commenced service on the Genoa-Porto Torres route starting the evening of February 15. The impact also caused significant damage to Colombo Pier, prompting an investigation by divers to assess the extent of the harm. The "Sharden" successfully left the dry dock on February 16 at 9 p.m. and resumed its usual schedule, returning to Porto Torres at 8:30 a.m. on February 17. For visual details on the incident, numerous Italian reports feature photos and updates linked below: [Oggi Notizie](https://www.ogginotizie.it/porto-di-genova-traghetto-sharden-urta-banchina-nessun-ferito-e-allarme-accosti/), [Repubblica](http://genova.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/02/14/news/urto_violento_del_traghetto_sharden_contro_la_banchina_di_ponte_colombo-188815077/), [Vistanet](https://www.vistanet.it/cagliari/blog/2018/02/14/foto-genova-si-schianta-sulla-banchina-la-nave-tirrenia-proveniente-dalla-sardegna/), [MeteoWeb](http://www.meteoweb.eu/2018/02/traghetto-urta-banchina-porto-genova-danni/1044363/).

In a heart-wrenching incident, a 74-year-old woman from Munich, identified as Imelda Bechstein, lost her life aboard the ferry "SHarden" while on vacation in Italy. The tragic event occurred on October 30, 2016, during the vessel's journey from Sardinia to Genoa, where Imelda mysteriously disappeared. Despite her husband, Ernst B., immediately notifying the crew of her absence, extensive searches on the ferry, including those conducted by divers, failed to locate her. Two weeks later, her lifeless body was discovered in a maintenance shaft near the ship's propeller. The Munich police clarified that they could not investigate the case in Germany as it was evident that the disappearance took place on the ferry. As of now, Imelda's body remains in the forensic medicine unit in Genoa, as the autopsy revealed no signs of violence, indicating she died on the night she vanished. In the wake of this distressing revelation, Italian authorities have initiated an investigation into possible negligent homicide against the captain of the "SHarden." Ernst B. has publicly expressed his discontent with the crew's failure to conduct a comprehensive search, as the discovery of his wife’s body came two months after her initial disappearance. He recounts that Imelda was last seen relaxing on a sun lounger before he began his search and reported her missing to the ferry staff. After Ernst's alert, the captain ordered a search of the entire ship, but no trace of Imelda was found until recently, when her body was discovered hidden within the engine room maintenance shaft. Ernst believes that Imelda should not have had access to the engine room and that she might still be alive today had the crew performed a more thorough search of the ferry. This painful incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols aboard passenger vessels.