The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has found that the decision to continue a fishing voyage exposed a vessel to weather conditions that contributed to the ship capsizing in Johnstone Strait, British Columbia last year. On May 7, the TSB released its investigation into the incident, which led to the disappearance of the master.
The small fishing vessel Five Star was on its way back to Kelsey Bay, British Columbia, after a three-day crab-fishing voyage on June 12, 2014, when the crab catch stowed on deck shifted. The vessel leaned towards the portside, capsizing the ship. The master and the one onboard crewmember abandoned the vessel and the master was lost at sea.
“Loss of life on fishing vessels is a TSB watch list issue. Although regulations have been proposed by Transport Canada to address several deficiencies with respect to fishing safety, there have been significant delays in their implementation,” the TSB said in a statement issued on May 7.
“There needs to be a concerted and coordinated action by federal and provincial authorities and by leaders in the fishing community to improve the safety culture in fishing operations, recognizing the interaction of safety deficiencies.”
The vessel was carrying approximately 1,250 kg of crabs in 22 holding cages stowed on the deck. While underway, about one third of the catch was transferred to a large empty tote, positioned on the centreline of the deck, and secured to port and starboard of the vessel. Later in the voyage, the vessel encountered increased winds and 1-metre waves affecting the vessel on its stern quarters.
To ensure the catch would remain alive, the crew member filled the tote with seawater, increasing its weight to 1,100 kg. Soon after, the vessel heeled to port and the line securing the tote to the starboard side of the vessel broke. The tote and holding cages then shifted to the port side, causing the vessel to list to port. The deck eventually became flooded and the vessel capsized.
Just prior to the vessel capsizing, the crewmember, who was wearing a lifejacket, jumped overboard. The master, who was not wearing a flotation device, escaped into the water through a cabin window. Both fishermen hung onto the hull until they abandoned ship and began to swim to shore.
Halfway to shore, the crewmember lost sight of the master and the vessel. The vessel is presumed to have sunk and the master is presumed to have drowned.
The investigation found that the decision to continue the voyage to Kelsey Bay exposed the Five Star to sea and wind conditions that caused the vessel to heel to port. This, in turn, led to the failure of the securing line and the shifting of the load, causing the vessel to capsize.
As the vessel was not carrying equipment capable of transmitting an automatic distress signal, search and rescue was not initiated until the crew member reached shore and called 9-1-1, the TSB noted.
The investigation also found a number of factors as to risk, including the lack of a requirement for most fishing vessels to undergo a formal stability assessment and the risk of not carrying equipment capable of automatically transmitting a distress signal. The investigation determined there was a need for comprehensive assessments for emergency preparedness and emergency drills.
The report cites seven previous occurrences where the lack of a stability assessment was a contributing factor. The TSB had also made a previous recommendation calling for automatic distress signaling equipment.