I don’t know too many of the details of the Queen of the North sinking, in British Columbia, but it’s excellent to hear that all or nearly all of the passengers and crew have been rescued. To have effective emergency response procedures demonstrated is always a welcome thing, though you tend to hear a lot more about those that prove ineffective. While it may be pointless, my appreciation goes out to all those who assisted in the rescue operation. In particular, the residents of Hartley Bay seem deserving of praise.
Hopefully, we will learn relatively soon what went wrong in the first place.
According to this article:
“The Queen of the North hit a rock just after 12:30 a.m PST off Gil Island in Wright Sound. It sank within an hour.”
Also:
“Although B.C.’s ferries are considered an extension of the province’s highways, the death toll on those waterways is significantly less: only four people have died in accidents with the formerly Crown-owned ferry fleet in the last 20 years.”
If they are an extension of the highways, why are they crown-formerly owned.
More from other Canadian bloggers:
The Galloping Beaver
The Practical Nomad
BC Ferries has fired three employees who were on the bridge of the Queen of the North last year when it sank.
Source
Queen of the North sinking suspensions hold
Updated: Wed Nov. 05 2008 11:09:01
ctvbc.ca
British Columbia’s highest court says the suspensions of two navigational officers who had control of the BC Ferry Queen of the North before it hit an island and sank two years ago will stand.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has refused to overturn the suspensions.
The Labour Relations Board and an arbitrator ruled BC Ferry Services had the right to suspend the men for not giving the whole story about what happened on the bridge the night the ferry sank.
Captain of Queen of the North recounts ‘heartbreaking’ night ship went down