Captain of Port "Kavkaz" accused of negligence in Krasnodar Territory

The South Transport Prosecutor's Office has initiated a criminal case under the article of "negligence" against Andrei Iovlev, captain of the Port "Kavkaz" (Krasnodar Territory).

"Because of A. V. Iovlev's poor performance of his official duties, expressed in a failure to ensure the traffic and operation safety of the vessels wrecked down last Sunday in the Kerch roadstead region, a criminal case has been initiated under Part 1, Article 293 of the Russian Criminal Code (negligence)," a spokesman of the press service of the South Transport Prosecutor's Office said.

Up to five years of prison is a punishment threat for Andrei Iovlev.

"Nothing has been sent to me so far," Captain Iovlev said in his turn, making comments on the news of the criminal case to the RIA "Novosti".

Mr Iovlev has also rejected any accusation of his negligence, having stated that it is the vessel's captain who is responsible for safety.

Elena Velikova, representative of the South Transport Prosecutor's Office, has informed the YUGA.ru web portal that several more criminal cases were initiated by the South Investigatory Department for Transport of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation on the facts of ship-wrecks in the Kerch Strait (on the articles of "pollution of the sea environment" and "violation of safety regulations on traffic and operation of water transport that has entailed death on imprudence of two or more persons").