Canada Investigating Leviathan II Sinking
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) continues its investigation into the sinking of passenger vessel which killed at least five near Tofino, British Columbia, Sunday.
Of the 24 passengers and three crew aboard the whale-watching tour boat Leviathan II at the time of the sinking, 21 people were rescued, five have died and one remains missing.
Leviathan II is a three-deck cruiser operated by Jamie's Whaling Station and Adventure Centres. The boat, which has capacity for up to 46 people, was carrying lifejackets for 50 adults and 20 children, although passengers and crew were not wearing them when the vessel sank, said Jamie Bray, owner of the tour operator, Reuters reported.
Most of the passengers and crew were on the top deck on the port side at the time of the incident, raising the vessel’s center of gravity and thus affecting stability. A wave approached the vessel from the starboard quarter, the vessel broached and then capsized, according to TSB, who said its investigation is still in its early stages and may take months to complete.
The sinking drew rescue efforts from the Canadian military and Coast Guard, as well as fishermen and mariners from a nearby Aboriginal community.
One life raft was deployed and activated, and at least two hand flares and one parachute rocket were fired, TSB said.
“We do not yet know the cause of the accident, but we will be working closely with the Transportation Safety Board to determine exactly what has happened and to assist with their investigation in any way we can,” said Corene Inouye, Jamie’s director of operations said in a statement posted on the company’s website Monday.
TSB said its team has met with the police officials to review information collected during and immediately after the rescue operation. TSB personnel also conducted interviews with the crew and some of the survivors to confirm certain details.
Efforts to salvage the vessel have been coordinated so that investigators can access it and start the physical examination. The team hopes to recover electronics on board that may help identify the exact position of the vessel at the time of the occurrence.
The team will also examine the vessel to understand its condition at the time of the accident, including reviewing stability information at the time of its construction and any modifications made since its initial construction. Further, TSB plans to examine the various weights and their position onboard at the time of the accident which will allow naval architects to better assess the vessel’s stability.
