05 May 2023
The operation to recover the L’Ecume II fishing trawler has been demobilised following the
successful completion of the operation’s key objectives:
- the location and recovery of Mr Michieli
- the recovery of elements of the L’Ecume II vessel structure
The States of Jersey Police have notified the Harbour Master that they have no further tasks for the
recovery teams to complete at the wreck site.
The specialist teams and recovery vessels that arrived in Jersey last month have now departed.
The anchors and corresponding buoys have been removed from the wreck site and a post-recovery
site survey has been completed to ensure there are no hazards to navigation at the site.
The maritime exclusion zone which was extended last month when the recovery operation began
has now been fully removed and free passage has been reinstated. A notice to mariners has been
issued today.
Parts of the vessel structure which were recovered from the seabed have now been moved to a
secure location. The wreck of L’Ecume II is now in the possession of States of Jersey Police and will
form part of the ongoing police investigation.
Deputy Chief Minister and Chair of the Political Oversight Group for the Major Incidents, Deputy
Kirsten Morel, said: “The recovery operation was mobilised for humanitarian and evidential
purposes, with the main objective to locate and recover Mr Michieli.
“Following yesterday’s formal identification of Mr Michieli, I would like to express my deepest
condolences to the Michieli family at this very difficult time. My thoughts remain with the Michieli
family, the many friends of Mr Michieli, and our closeknit fishing community.
“The teams involved in the operation have worked in the face of significant weather and
operational challenges, yet they successfully completed what they set out to achieve.
“As the operation comes to an end, I would like to thank them for their hard work and resilience
during what has been a complex and sensitive operation to complete.”
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