Zim captain freed in Mobile, Ala.
Wolfgang Schroder, a containership captain who was jailed for four months after his ship struck a dockside crane in Mobile, Ala., was freed Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade ignored a prosecutor's recommendation that Schroder remain in jail for another year and sentenced him to time served.
The judge's decision pleased representatives of the German government and observers from the maritime community present in the courtroom who were concerned about what they saw as criminalization of an accident, according to a report in The Alabama Press Register.
A German citizen, Schroder planned to return to his home in Ireland.
He was indicted after the ship he commanded, the 'Zim Mexico III,' knocked down a container crane, killing a contract electrician, Shawn Jacobs.
A jury in October convicted Schroder under a 19th century law sometimes called the seaman's manslaughter statute and the U.S. Prosecutor sought a prison term of close to 16 months saying the incident could have been avoided.
The Alabama Press Register said Schroder was in command of the ship when while trying to turn around in Mobile River a bow thruster failed.
The newspaper said prosecutors presented evidence that the failure occurred because the thruster ran off the main engine shaft generator, which turned off when the engine's RPM deviated by more than 10 percent.
The prosecutors said this had happened before and been discussed in safety meetings.
Zim captain freed in Mobile, Ala.
