Excalibur builder guilty of manslaughter
by Sail-World on 2 Apr 2009
Excalibur - 2002 Sydney to Goldcoast Race Daryl Krasu
The builder of a racing yacht which capsized off the Australian east coast, after its keel fell off, drowning four delivery crew has been found guilty of manslaughter.
Alex Cittadini, a director and chief engineer of Applied Alloy Yachts, a company which has since ceased to trade, which built the yacht Excalibur in Bayswater Melbourne in 2002, was found guilty by a majority verdict on four counts of manslaughter in the NSW District Court on Thursday.
Excalibur's keel had been cut and re-welded during manufacture.
The yacht began showing signs of keel problems near Seal Rocks off the NSW mid-north coast, on its way back Whitsundays in September 2002, after competing in regattas at both Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island
The crew reduced sail and began heading to Port Stephens, but the keel and bulb broke away completely and the yacht capsized. Four of the crew were drowned.
Cittadini and keel welder Adrian Presland were each charged with the manslaughter of Christopher Heyes and Peter McLeod, both 51, Tracy Luke, 32 and Ann Maree Pope, who lost their lives when the vessel rolled over.
Presland was acquitted of all charges by the 12 person jury on Wednesday.
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