Crew On Israeli Ship Involved In Deadly Collision With Japanese Boat Arrested

The captain and two other crew members of the Israeli ship involved in a deadly collision with a Japanese fishing boat have been arrested on charges of causing death by negligence and failure to save lives at sea, Israeli police said. This fishing boat was found capsized by the Japanese coastguard; marks appear to match damage on Israeli boatThe Israeli Captain of the Zim Asia, Moshe Ben David, was released on bail and placed under house arrest until Oct. 31, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. The Yugoslav second Captain, citizen Pilastro Zdravko, and the ship's Bulgarian lookout man, Lache Galin, have been jailed until that date. In the interim, police will continue their investigation and decide how to proceed, Rosenfeld said. The three were detained for police questioning in Israel on Sunday after the Zim Asia docked in the northern Israeli port of Haifa. Police also raided Zim corporate headquarters in Haifa, confiscating documents, Rosenfeld said. Seven Japanese sailors died after the 41,507-ton Zim Asia collided with their fishing boat, causing it to capsize 25 miles off the cape of Nosappu in northern Japan on Sept. 28. Ben David has denied responsibility for the incident, and his lawyer, Gad Nashitz, told Israel Radio on Sunday that his client was asleep at the time of the accident. Israeli Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit has vowed to punish the skipper if he is found responsible. Rosenfeld said material from the investigation would be handed over to Japanese authorities.