Original article: Caso Bruma: Arraigo nacional y firma quincenal para imputados por homicidio culposo de pescadores artesanales

Bruma Case: National Custody and Biweekly Reporting for Accused in Fishermen’s Manslaughter

The Coronel Guarantee Court has imposed national custody measures, biweekly reporting, and a communication ban on Roberto Abraham Mansilla Gallardo, Luis Vladimir Macaya Andrades, and Jaime Osvaldo Sandoval Lépez, who are charged by the Public Prosecutor’s Office with seven counts of manslaughter committed in late March 2025 in the open sea near Isla Santa María.

According to the Judicial Power’s bulletin, after formal charges and arguments from both parties, Judge Jorge Henríquez Mora partially accepted the precautionary measures requested by the prosecution and the plaintiff, deeming them «proportional and adequate» for the objectives of the procedure, considering the possible penalties involved. Additionally, a four-month investigation period was established.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the precautionary measure of supervision requested for the legal entity Blumar, citing «no serious shortcomings» in the crime prevention model mandated by Law 20.393, which was in effect at the time of the accident.

The Incident

According to the prosecuting authority, around 2:58 AM on March 30, 2025, while the fishing vessel ‘Cobra’ was at sea northwest of Isla Santa María in Coronel, the pilot, Luis Macaya Andrades, informed Captain Roberto Mansilla Gallardo that another fishing boat was about to cast nets, prompting him to change course.

After traveling approximately 2,500 meters, at around 3:08 AM, the ‘Cobra’, measuring 64.7 meters in length, 12 meters in width, and weighing 1,315 tons, collided with the motorboat ‘Bruma’, which was anchored and displaying a white light to signal its position.

«The weather conditions at that time were calm winds and waves not exceeding 2 meters in a zone identified as high maritime traffic,» the Prosecutor’s Office reported.

«The high-energy impact shattered the structure of the smaller vessel, leading to its sinking and the death of the seven crew members on board,» the Public Prosecutor’s indictment noted, emphasizing that «at the time of the collision, the ‘Cobra’s’ radars were operational, and Jaime Sandoval Lépez and Juan Sanhueza Anríquez (deceased) were performing lookout duties.»

«All neglected their duties, which contributed to the accident,» the Prosecutor’s Office asserted.

Additionally, Blumar, the owner of the fishing vessel ‘Cobra’ and employer of Mansilla Gallardo, Macaya Andrades, and Sandoval Lépez, «did not take into account the boarding of vessels in its crime prevention model, a requirement under Law 20.393, which could have allowed them not only to identify risks but also to implement actions to prevent them.»

Watch the hearing on the Judicial Power’s YouTube channel:

We will continue to provide updates.