Shipwreck survivor in Troy sentenced to suspended sentence

O Court of Setúbal today sentenced four and a half years in prison, suspended for five years, the only survivor of the shipwreck in Troy that caused four deaths in 2024.

The defendant, Manuel Coelho, aged 64, was convicted of four crimes of murder for gross negligence and payment of compensation to the relatives of the victims who exceed EUR 300,000, part of which has already been paid through an agreement with the ship's insurance company.

In reading the judgment, the court held that the helmsman “violent the most elementary duties of prudence and care” when deciding to sail in a dangerous zone with strong ripple, ignoring the weather forecasts that discouraged navigation in the area where the shipwreck occurred, known as Restinga, off Troy, in the municipality of Grândola, district of Setúbal.

The defense attorney, João Santos, considered the penalty “a bit heavy”, for understanding that the shipwreck resulted from natural causes and that the defendant himself was also the victim of the accident, which occurred on April 7, 2024.

“The sea is always a danger, it is unpredictable,” the lawyer said to journalists, admitting the possibility of appealing the decision after examining the judgment.

“ We will look at the judgment and then we will see whether or not we will appeal. But, in principle yes”, he added, arguing that an effective prison sentence would not be justified.

As for compensation, João Santos explained that his constituent will be responsible only for the amounts exceeding the capital of EUR 250 thousand covered by the insurance of the vessel, estimating that Manuel Coelho must bear “one hundred and so thousand euros”.

Attorney Angela Soares Fura, who represents family members of two of the four fatalities, refused to comment on the suspension of the sentence before fully examining the judicial decision, but recalled that nothing can bring the victims back.

“ No decision returns these lives that have been lost and that is what my constituents regret”, he said, recognizing that the reading of the judgment was accompanied by moments of great emotion among family members.

The lawyer added that its constituents did not create expectations as to the penalty to be applied, stressing that they trusted justice and that they will now examine the content of the decision.

In the final allegations, made on 10 September, the prosecutor had requested a single sentence not less than five years in prison for Manuel Coelho, without commenting on the possible suspension of the execution of the sentence.

During the trial, several witnesses stated that the accident occurred in a sandbank area, particularly dangerous during the low tide, and that the wave forecast between 2.5 and 3.5 meters advised against navigation at that location.

The shipwreck off Troy caused the death of four people, three male adults, 21, 23 and 45 years old, and an 11-year-old boy, the son of one of the other three fatalities, all from Santiago do Cacém, in Setúbal district.

The shipwrecked helmsman was the only survivor.