P.E.I. captain pleads not guilty in fatal lobster boat collision

The captainof a lobster boat that was involved in a collision that killed two people has pleaded notguilty to charges in the matter.

A lawyer forClarence Barry White, 52, of Murray River, entered the not guilty pleas Tuesday in P.E.I. Supreme Court in Charlottetown. White is charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death in the operation of a vessel.

A trial date will be set in February.

Justin MacKay ofP.E.I. and Christopher Melansonof Nova Scotia died in the June, 2018 incident, in waters off Murray Harbour. White's boat, Forever Chasin' Tail, collided with anotherboat, Joel '98; the second boat ended up sinking. The two men who died were aboard the Joel '98.

An investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada foundWhite's boat was on auto-pilot at the time of the collision.

White is also charged with infractions under the Canada Shipping Act. He pleaded guilty to one of those charges, failing to keep properlookout, Nov. 3 in Georgetown Provincial Court. His second charge under the Canada Shipping Act, acharge of speeding, is slated for Georgetown court in January.

The Georgetown matters are likely to be adjourned until the criminal matters in Charlottetown are resolved,according to White's lawyer, Brian Casey of Halifax.

At Tuesday's arraignment, Justice Tracey Clementsspoke by teleconference with Casey, and with federal prosecutor Paul Adams of Halifax.

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