Transcripts relay details of the last moments of the Queen of the North

Part of the documentation over the last few days into the sinking of the Queen of the North has been the release of the transcripts of radio transmissions between the stricken ferry and the Coast Guard radio centre in Prince Rupert.

The Globe and Mail’s Mark Hume presented them in his story for yesterday’s Globe, presenting a sense of the horror of the moment and the steps that went into place to send assistance as soon as possible.

It provides the reader with a minute by minute account of the tragedy, the confusion of the moment and the eventual rescue effort that was launched off of Gil Island.

Transcript documents Mayday moment
MARK HUME
GLOBE AND MAIL
MARCH 27, 2007

VANCOUVER -- At 23 minutes and 40 seconds after midnight, from high on British Columbia's rugged central coast where deep fjords cut hazardous shipping lanes through the mountains, a radio message came crackling in from the darkness.

"Traffic, this is Queen of the North, Queen of the North, Queen of the North," came an unidentified voice from the bridge of a B.C. ferry that was in transit from Prince Rupert to the north end of Vancouver Island, with 101 people aboard, March 22, 2006.

"Traffic. Traffic. We have run aground south of Sainty Point, several miles south of Sainty Point. Standby for position," said the crew member, in a frantic call to Vessel Traffic Services, the marine communications centre run by the Canadian Coast Guard in Prince Rupert. Over the next few minutes, a flurry of exchanges, released yesterday in a transcript, tracked the drama of the final moments of the flagship of the BC Ferries fleet.

VTS: "Queen of the North. Prince Rupert Traffic. What is your position? Over."
Queen: "Our position is. This is the Queen of the North. 29 19 north, 131. What's the second part of that? 13 West."

VTS: "Queen of the North, Prince Rupert Traffic. Roger. And do you require assistance?"
Queen: "Roger, we require assistance."

VTS: "Roger. And confirm you are not taking on water? Over."
Queen: "We are taking on water."

VTS: "Roger. Stand by. . . . Say again your position. This position you gave me is not correct, it places you in Hecate Strait. What is your position? Latitude? Longitude?"

Queen: "South of Sainty Point. Stand by for Lat/Long. And we are aground, our list is increasing, we need assistance immediately. . . . We're aground near Juan Point, Juan Point. Over. . . . We have 101 persons onboard the ship."

VTS: "Roger. Are you at Muster Stations?"

Queen: "Say again?"

VTS: "Are they proceeding to life rafts? Over."

Queen, at 28:26: "Yes, Traffic, we are proceeding to lifeboats and life rafts."

At 31:02 after breaking away to talk to possible rescue vessels, VTS asks for an update.
Queen: "Traffic, we've developed a slight starboard list here, I'd say about 12 degrees from my indication. Boats are getting readied. That's all I know right now. I believe they're setting pumps in the engine room."

In several quick exchanges, VTS confirms the correct location of the sinking ferry. Then, at 34:45, VTS broadcasts this chilling message over the marine channel: "Mayday, relay. Mayday, relay. Mayday, relay. All stations, all stations. This is Prince Rupert Coast Guard Radio, Prince Rupert Coast Guard Radio. Channel one-one. The ferry Queen of the North is reported running around just south of Sainty Point. Bearing one-zero-one degrees from Port Cummings. Requesting immediate assistance, taking on water, 101 persons onboard. Any vessels in the area able to respond contact Prince Rupert Coast Guard Radio channel one-six or Prince Rupert Traffic, channel one-one. Over."

In Hartley Bay, fishermen launch several small boats, arriving just in time to take aboard survivors found drifting in life rafts. Then, the Queen of the North tips up and sinks beneath the waves.

Investigation into tragedy

British Columbia Ferry Service Inc. describes this sequence of events that led to the sinking of the Queen of the North. The report lacks key details because two crew members have refused to testify.

1. Departure: The Queen of the North leaves Prince Rupert at 8 p.m. on March 21, 2006, headed for Port Hardy. There are 101 passengers and crew members on board.

2. The voyage south: The report states that music was clearly audible during routine radio telephone conversations between the ferry and Prince Rupert traffic services.

"To this point, the voyage had been uneventful and routine."

3. Confusion in the wheelhouse: After passing Sainty Point, the report states, the Quarter Master of the ship remembers making "one or possibly two small course alterations," as directed by the fourth officer. The Quarter Master is then ordered to switch the autopilot off, but the Quarter Master "stated not knowing where the switch was located."

4. Grounding off Gil Island: The Queen of the North strikes rocks off Gil Island at a speed of about 17.5 knots. The ferry is about one nautical mile (or 1.85 kilometres) off course. The ship's master is awoken and all watertight doors are ordered closed. The general alarm is sounded in both crew and passenger areas, and PA announcements are made instructing everyone to get onto the outer decks. Crew search all cabins and public spaces to account for all passengers. With lifejackets on, passengers and crew abandon ship.

5. Queen goes down: The ferry sinks, stern first. "As the ship sank, trapped air caused numerous windows on the passenger deck to explode outward, and a cloud of dust was formed at the scene."

SOURCE: TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, B.C. FERRIES