Twenty years after the sinking of the Queen of the North, a former chief executive of BC Ferries says the tragedy remains one of the darkest moments in the company’s history.
In an interview with Global News, former president and CEO David Hahn recalled the night the ferry struck Gill Island in Wright Sound and sank, saying the situation was “bewildering” and “very scary” as details slowly emerged.
The vessel went down at about 1:40 a.m. on March 22, 2006, with 101 passengers and crew on board. Ninety-nine people were rescued, but two passengers, Gerald Foisy and Shirley Rosette, were never found.
Hahn said the initial hours following the sinking were marked by limited information due to the remote location.
Lifeboats from the Queen of the North sit on the deck of the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier while en route to Prince Rupert, B.C., on March 22, 2006.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Richard Lam
“It was a lot of chaos in terms of trying to get good information,” he said. “It took (until) about… four in the morning… to figure out what went on.”
Members of the Hartley Bay community were among the first to respond, using fishing boats to help rescue passengers from the water.
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“They did a great job… they saved a lot of lives,” Hahn said, adding their actions helped reduce the fear and uncertainty faced by those on board.
Crew members of the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier stands next to lifeboats used by passengers on board the Queen of the North ferry which sank in Prince Rupert, B.C., March 22, 2006.
(CP PHOTO/Richard Lam)
An investigation later determined the ferry failed to make a required course correction, citing human error and a loss of situational awareness.
Hahn said once it became clear the vessel had not altered course, “you kind of knew where this was going to go,” though the exact reason remains unclear.
“We’ll never know 100 per cent why there wasn’t a course change,” he said.
A lifejacket from the Queen of the North ferry floats in the waters of Wright Sound near Hartley Bay, B.C., in this March 22, 2006 file photo.
(CP PHOTO/Richard Lam)
The disaster led to sweeping changes within BC Ferries, including a renewed focus on safety practices and the introduction of new programs aimed at preventing similar incidents.
Looking back two decades later, Hahn said the impact of the tragedy still lingers.
“It’s disturbing,” he said. “It’s probably the darkest day in the history of the company.”
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