The captain of a cargo ship involved in a collision with a passenger ferry in Belfast Lough pleaded guilty yesterday to being over the alcohol limit.
Miroslaw Pozniak (55), with an address in Poland, spoke through an interpreter at a magistrates’ court in Bangor, Co Down. He was captaining the Union Moon which collided with a Stena Line ferry travelling from Birkenhead to Belfast on Wednesday.
Mr Pozniak’s solicitor told the court: “It will be a guilty plea in respect of the matter.”
The incident happened at 7.45pm on Wednesday, and ferry passengers said they were initially warned they may have to abandon ship. Both vessels suffered damage in the collision at the entrance to Belfast Lough. However, no one was injured, and the ferry was able to safely complete its journey. There were 51 passengers and 47 crew on board the ferry, and all safely disembarked at Belfast.
The court heard the Union Moon was to be impounded in dry dock to be repaired.
The judge remanded Mr Pozniak in custody to appear again at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Monday.