Captain of doomed ship convicted of five charges

Shawn Ralph, captain of the ill-fated Melina and Keith II, was convicted Friday of five of the eight charges he was facing in connection with the sinking.

The 65-foot vessel capsized and sank off Cape Bonavista, N.L. on Sept. 12, 2005, killing four of the eight crew on board.

Ralph and three others survived by clinging to the overturned ship for several hours, waiting to be rescued.

Ralph, 43, of Eastport, was charged with eight violations of the Canada Shipping Act based on Transport Canada’s investigation into the ship’s sinking, which are regulatory and not criminal offences.

He’s been convicted of five of those charges including failing to take steps to ensure that the crew knew about the lifesaving equipment on board.

“I do not dispute the steps (Ralph) did take, but in my mind it was not organized well enough,” said Judge Gregory Brown in rendering his decision.

Ralph will appear in court to be sentenced on Aug. 19.

(FROM THE TELEGRAM)