Pictured: Fishermen killed after their boat collided with a freight ship and sank off Jersey – as fundraiser for their families hits £67,000

• Skipper Michael Michieli and crew Larry Simyun and Jervis Baligat are missing
• Their fishing boat collided with Commodore Goodwill on Thursday off Jersey
• The three men are presumed dead as a ’24/7 underwater search’ is underway 

Pictures have been released of the fishermen killed after their boat collided with a freight ship and sank off the coast of Jersey – as a fundraiser for their families reached £67,000.  

Fishing boat L’Ecume II sunk after being struck by a Condor ferry called Commodore Goodwill at around 5.30am on Thursday, December 8 in St Ouen’s Bay.

Skipper Michael Michieli and his two crew, Larry Simyun and Jervis Baligat, are presumed dead after a search operation was called off on Friday.

A spokesperson for Ports of Jersey said on Monday the underwater search for the boat has been ‘underway 24/7’ since Sunday morning and is continuing.

Skipper Michael Michieli (pictured) and his two crew, Larry Simyun and Jervis Baligat are presumed dead

Fishing boat L’Ecume II sunk after being struck by a Condor ferry called Commodore Goodwill. Pictured is missing crew member Larry Simyun

A ’24/7 underwater search’ is underway to look for the three missing fisherman. Pictured here is Jervis Baligat

On Sunday a large offshore support vessel commissioned by Ports of Jersey began using an underwater robot to conduct a detailed search of the collision site.

A maritime exclusion zone is in place for the collision site and surrounding area, the spokesperson added.

Rebecca Michieli, Mr Michieli’s daughter, set up a fundraiser to raise money for the families of her father’s crew and said she hopes their bodies can be recovered so they can be ‘brought home to rest’.

It has raised more than £67,000 in two days.

Miss Michieli, who ran a small fishing company with her father, said: ‘In the early hours of Thursday December 8, my dad along with his two crew, Larry and Jervis, headed out to sea in what was perfect fishing conditions.

Fishing boat L’Ecume II JI58 sank after the collision in temperatures of 4C on Thursday in St Owen’s Bay

The collision occurred between a local fishing vessel and a Condor Ferry called Commodore Goodwill (pictured) at 5.30am on Thursday at sea in St Ouen’s Bay

Rescue boats, including the RNLI’s St Helier all-weather and inshore lifeboats, who received a call at 5.43am, as well as the Guernsey lifeboat were involved in the operation

Coastguards called out the RNLI’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats and two French rescue helicopters, Guernsey’s RNLI all-weather lifeboat and a French naval fixed-wing aircraft

‘They were on a straight course, one they have done many times before, but at about 5.30am the Commodore Goodwill struck them, almost instantly sinking them.

‘Search and rescue efforts were made but all three remain missing. We know now that there is no hope of them coming home alive, but we continue to search for them all, to bring them home to rest.

‘Larry and Jervis would spend nine months at a time working with my dad and sending home a good portion of the money they made to their families back home in the Philippines.

‘Jervis had just been home for three months and was back for another nine months as he was so fond of my dad and the work he was doing.

‘My family would like to do as much as we can for Larry and Jervis. We know money will never bring them back but we can at least take some of the stress away and allow them time to grieve without the burden of financial troubles.’

Goodwill was en route from Guernsey to Jersey when the collision happened in temperatures of 4C. 

Local fisherman, the RNLI, Jersey Coastguard and Channel Islands Air Search were all involved in the search for the fishing boat. 

The news comes amid a difficult week for residents of Jersey as on Saturday an explosion at a block of flats in the capital, St Helier, killed five with at least four people still missing.

Flags have been lowered to half-mast across Jersey in mourning until December 23.

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