Questions are continuing to arise regarding the accident last March. Eight months ago the Queen of the North sank off the east side of Gil Island. Ninety-nine passengers and crewmembers survived, another two were lost and later reported dead. The details of the ferry’s course are lost as well, since the mysterious disappearance of a major clue, the boat’s logbook. According to CBC’s report, this is the course they were on:
“On March 22, the ferry left Prince Rupert on a routine run down the protected waters of Grenville Channel, emerging at the southern end of the channel into Wright Sound, near Hartley Bay. At that point, the crew was supposed to make a left turn around the east side of Gil Island, then continue south.”
The Queen of the North didn’t make the turn; instead it continued straight and collided with the island. Why didn’t it make the turn? Crewmembers have kept silent about the occurrence - only adding to its mysteriousness. And now, without the logbooks, we may not find out what actually happened. Another interesting detail is that the GPS system had been turned off. The Transportation Safety Board reported that the crew had not been properly trained to use the system.
Whatever happened, it is an interesting story, especially to parallel Eden Robinson’s short story “The Queen of the North”, and “Monkey Beach”.
Information:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/11/17/ferry-logbooks.html
Photos:
http://www.mjtrekkers.com/user_pass/images/queen_of_the_north.jpg
http://www.shilsholecommunity.org/wp-content/princeruperttowrightsound.PNG
Comments (1)
What ever happned to this? I havent read anything about it on this side of the atlantic.. it kind of sounds like "drunken sailors for get to keep a look-out" kind of senario.
Posted by Tom Stach | May 18, 2007 4:19 PM
Posted on May 18, 2007 16:19