The director of Stormforce Coaching, the charter company that owned the infamous Beneteau 40.7 sailing yacht Cheeki Rafiki, which lost its keel and sank in the Atlantic in May 2014, has been found not guilty of causing death by negligence.
The jury took into account Douglas Innes' words that the yacht had undergone periodic inspections, including before her last voyage at sea, during which no visible damage to the keel was found. In 2013, Cheeki Rafiki sat in a repair dock for five months while her hull was completely repainted.
Mr Innes also said it was only during the proceedings that he learned the extent of the damage caused by the two previous groundings.
According to the Maritime Safety Commission's findings, the two incidents had weakened the connection between the keel and the hull and caused it to come loose.
He will be held liable for failing to ensure the safe operation of the yacht in breach of maritime law.
The crew of Cheeki Rafiki notified Douglas Innes via email that the yacht was taking on water in poor weather conditions. The charter company director advised the crew to prepare a life raft, but delayed in calling the Coast Guard.
Two days after the fateful email, the yacht was found upside down and empty, with a life raft on board. The bodies of the four sailors on Cheeki Rafiki were never found.
