Globe: ... B.C. Ferries, Queen of the North Sinking ...
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Archive, Source, June 6: Ferry's crew unsure of steering.
Archive, Source, June 6: Preliminary report on ferry sinking points to human error.
Archive, Source, June 7: Ferry management gets blame.
Archive, Source, June 7: Union calls for safety audit of B.C. Ferries.
Archive, Source, June 8: Dispute muddies ferry probe.
Archive, Source, June 13: B.C. Ferries receives $67.9-million for lost ship.
Archive, Source, June 13: Former B.C. Ferries safety chief launches lawsuit.
Archive, Source, June 14: Insider says he raised alarm on B.C. Ferries.
Archive, Source, June 15: B.C. Ferries rejects claims of safety expert.
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June 15, 2006, B.C. Ferries rejects claims of safety expert, Man never set foot on ferries, official says, Mark Hume, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Amid a growing debate about safety issues, David Hahn, the president of B.C. Ferries, has flatly contradicted key allegations made by a safety expert who says his warnings were ignored prior to a disastrous sinking.
On Tuesday, Darin Bowland filed a statement of claim in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in a wrongful-dismissal suit, in which he said senior management at the company ignored his warnings that "there was a strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents" if safety practices were not immediately improved.
B.C. Ferries had hired Mr. Bowland as a safety expert slightly more than two months before the Queen of the North sank on March 22 when it collided with an island off B.C.'s central coast. He resigned five days after the accident, which left two passengers missing and presumed dead, but in his suit he says his departure amounts to constructive dismissal.
Mr. Bowland states his position as director of safety, health and environment was undermined and the company stripped him of fundamental functions while he was in Prince Rupert with an accident response team.
Although B.C. Ferries has not yet filed a statement of defence, Mr. Hahn responded to Mr. Bowland's charges yesterday while being interviewed by talk-show host Bill Good on Vancouver radio station CKNW.
"We reject all of his allegations," Mr. Hahn said. "I think what's interesting [is] he never set foot on the Queen of the North during his time here, never was on the Queen of Prince Rupert [a sister ship], was never in Prince Rupert or Port Hardy on any business from B.C. Ferries.
"Best as I know," Mr. Hahn continued, "he was only on four or five shifts during that period of time that he was here. I have no documents, or he never came to see me expressing any of these grave concerns nor [did he speak to] any of the senior officers that report to me."
Mr. Good replied: "He does say he warned that there was strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents if the ferry didn't improve safety practices. Did you know that? Did you ever hear that phrase, 'catastrophic incidents?' "
"Not at all. And nor, I would argue, has any senior member at B.C. Ferries," Mr. Hahn answered.
Late yesterday, a lawyer for Mr. Bowland, Rodney Hayley, issued a statement reasserting his client's allegations.
The statement said Mr. Hahn's contention that Mr. Bowland did not advise senior managers of his safety concerns was "totally false."
The statement added: "Capt. Bowland is recognized as having an impeccable reputation in relation to maritime safety matters. . .[and he] stands by all the allegations made in the statement of claim."
Asked in the radio interview whether Mr. Bowland had quit or had been let go, Mr. Hahn replied: "You know, there are all sorts of e-mails around that stuff, there's documentation on all that and I think we have to leave that to the court."
Later Mr. Good commented: "You say he resigned, he says he didn't. Who's telling the truth here?"
"I'm not going to answer the question around that," Mr. Hahn replied. "I would just tell you that I think it's important to have as much information around safety out and in the open."
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June 14, 2006, Insider says he raised alarm on B.C. Ferries, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Not long before the Queen of the North passenger ship ran into a rocky island and sank, B.C. Ferries' safety director warned of "catastrophic incidents" if the fleet's safety practices were not improved, according to a writ filed in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
In the writ, Darrin Bowland, who resigned his $100,000-a-year management post shortly after the sinking, said the tragedy "could well have [been] prevented" if senior executives at B.C. Ferries had heeded his alarm.
"Safety protocols and practices associated with [the] fleet were woefully inadequate," Mr. Bowland charged.
As well, once the ship went down with the loss of two lives, senior management prevented him from conducting an internal inquiry into the accident, he claimed.
The serious allegations are contained in a suit for damages Mr. Bowland has launched, arguing that the ferry corporation's "refusal to remedy problems that put the public at serious risk" made it ethically impossible for him to continue in his job.
The writ (the B.C. term for a statement of claim), comes at a time when B.C. Ferries is already feeling heat over alleged safety deficiencies in connection with the sinking.
The Transport Safety Board recently sent an advisory to fleet president David Hahn after finding that some crew on the bridge at the time of the collision were inadequately trained on new steering and navigation equipment.
In what now seems like a prescient speech to the Nautical Institute one week before the ferry mishap, Mr. Bowland had expressed concern over the increased complexity of such equipment and said training standards weren't keeping pace.
The ferry, carrying 101 crew and passengers, went drastically off course as it headed south from Prince Rupert through the narrow Inside Passage in the early hours of March 22.
The large vessel crashed into Gil Island at high speed and sank in deep water an hour later, the first sinking in the history of the province's large ferry fleet.
Passengers Gerald Foisy, 46, and his companion, Shirley Rosette, 42, did not escape.
Mr. Bowland was hired in January as B.C. Ferries' director of health, safety and the environment, after 11 years' service captaining luxury liners in the Caribbean.
After a review of fleet procedures, according to his writ, Mr. Bowland went to senior management and warned them of the "strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents" without immediate improvements to safety protocols and practices.
But fleet managers ignored the warning and failed to support his attempts to improve safety conditions, the writ said.
After the sinking, Mr. Bowland went to Prince Rupert to begin an internal inquiry, but was prevented from doing so by senior management, the writ continued. He resigned a few days later.
A press released issued by B.C. Ferries said he resigned for "personal reasons," raising an inference that he had somehow been at fault in the sinking of the Queen of the North, according to Mr. Bowland's writ.
Yet management knew that he quit over "the negative experiences he had . . . concerning critical issues of public safety," he contended. "The press release was false and misleading."
As a result, Mr. Bowland claimed, his reputation has been tarnished and he has been unable to find a new job.
His lawsuit seeks damages for negligent misrepresentation, wrongful dismissal and loss of reputation.
B.C. Ferries declined comment on Mr. Bowland's charges, none of which have been proven or tested in court.
"We do not discuss personnel matters or issues before the courts," said spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.
Asked whether the public should be alarmed by ongoing allegations of the fleet's poor safety practices, Ms. Marshall replied: "We feel we are one of the safest operations in the world."
The Transportation Safety Board, meanwhile, is continuing its investigation into the sinking.
A submersible will be sent to the sunken ship this week, with investigators hoping to focus on newly installed equipment on the ferry's bridge.
Evidence to date indicates that the vessel's electronic chart system was turned off at the time of the accident because crew members found its nighttime glare too bright.
They were unfamiliar with dimming adjustments on the new navigational aid, the TSB has said.
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June 13, 2006, Former B.C. Ferries safety chief launches lawsuit, Greg Joyce
Vancouver — The former safety director of B.C. Ferries who resigned after the sinking of the Queen of the North is suing the corporation, saying Ferries failed to heed his warnings of a possible catastrophic incident without fleet-wide safety improvements.
Darin Bowland filed a writ of summons in B.C. Supreme Court claiming damages for negligent misrepresentation, wrongful dismissal, loss of reputation, as well as aggravated and punitive damages.
He also claims that although Ferries told him safety was a high priority, the corporation prevented him from conducting an inquiry into the sinking of the Queen of the North on March 22,
In his writ, made public Tuesday, Mr. Bowland describes himself now as an unemployed master mariner. He said he was hired by Ferries as a director of safety, health and environment in early January 2006.
Ferries essentially ignored his advice about safety after he was hired, he claims.
“After commencing his employment with (Ferries) and after reviewing the safety protocols and practices associated with the fleet, the plaintiff warned the (Ferries) senior management that there was a strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents if the (Ferries) safety protocols and practices were not immediately improved,” Mr. Bowland says in the writ.
The writ's claims by Mr. Bowland are directed at safety conditions among the fleet generally and not specifically at the Queen of the North.
Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said Tuesday the lawsuit is now before the courts and the corporation would not comment because it is a personnel matter.
A statement of defence must be filed within 14 days.
Last week, Ferries CEO David Hahn called the system “incredibly safe” with very few incidents.
A week before the sinking, Mr. Bowland spoke to a regular meeting of the Nautical Institute, telling them he was concerned about training for crews facing increasingly complex equipment on ship's bridges.
Federal investigators continue to examine the sinking of the Queen of the North, which sank after it slammed into an island south of Prince Rupert. Two people are missing and presumed drowned, while the other 99 were rescued.
Last week, a letter from the Transportation Safety Board to the ferry corporation was made public.
The letter said some crew members have told investigators they were not familiar with the use of all of the bridge equipment and controls.
Mr. Bowland's writ claims the corporation's senior management “discouraged the plaintiff from putting his concerns about the safety protocols and practices in writing” as well as “failed to support the initiatives that the plaintiff suggested and that were urgently needed to remedy, at a systemic level, the unsafe conditions.”
The corporation was negligent in leading him to believe safety was important and it also removed his contractual duty to investigate the accident.
His authority as safety director was “severely undermined” following the accident, Mr. Bowland claims in the suit.
“Initially the (Ferries) senior management prevented (Mr. Bowland) from conducting a meaningful divisional inquiry into the sinking in accordance with (Ferries) written protocols.”
Moreover, he claims senior management eventually “prevented (Mr. Bowland) from conducting an inquiry into the sinking at all.”
After he resigned March 27, the corporation issued a “false and misleading” statement that he had resigned for personal reasons.
The corporation “tarnished” his reputation by suggesting that Mr. Bowland had somehow been responsible for the sinking and as a result his ability to find employment has been hampered, he says.
The writ does not explain why Mr. Bowland resigned from his previous job as captain of the luxury liner Radiance of the Seas — a job he says paid $220,000 annually — to accept one with Ferries at an annual salary of $100,000.
He had worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for 11 years prior to leaving that job.
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June 13, 2006, B.C. Ferries receives $67.9-million for lost ship
Vancouver -- B.C. Ferries has received $67.9-million in insurance compensation for the sinking of the Queen of the North.
The news came yesterday as the corporation announced year-end results showing profit of $49.9-million, up $14.7-million compared with 2005.
"You need the earnings to go out and spend the money to rebuild what has become a pretty beat-up ferry system," said CEO David Hahn.
The Queen of the North sank March 22 after striking Gil Island in Wright Sound. Two passengers are missing and presumed dead.
The investigation into the sinking remains stymied as two employees who were on the ferry's bridge are not co-operating, on the advice of union lawyers. Ottawa continues to investigate the incident, which resulted in two lawsuits against B.C. Ferries.
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June 8, 2006, Dispute muddies ferry probe, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- As federal investigators prepare a new dive to the final resting place of the Queen of the North, the waters are being muddied by a war of words between B.C. Ferries president David Hahn and the union representing officers and crew aboard the vessel when it crashed into an island and sank.
Shortly after the ferry-workers union called yesterday for a full safety audit of the large B.C. ferry fleet, Mr. Hahn accused two union members of stonewalling company attempts to get to the bottom of the sinking.
He said they have refused to shed light on what happened during critical minutes when the large ferry veered off course in the narrow Grenville Channel, south of Prince Rupert, and ran into Gil Island at high speed in the early hours of March 22. One of them was on the bridge at the time, Mr. Hahn told reporters. "There's 14 minutes of a black hole that needs to be filled."
But B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union president Jackie Miller shot back that Mr. Hahn already knows what occurred. Early on, she said, the ship's crew answered all questions put to them about the sinking by the fleet's corporate lawyers. "He has access to every aspect of the voyage through his own legal counsel," Ms. Miller said.
She said those questions were answered on a confidential basis, as part of an investigation into the sinking, for insurance purposes.
But there is no protection for crew members in the company's own internal inquiry, Ms. Miller said, adding that information they provide may be used against them in potential legal action or even made public.
"What Mr. Hahn wants is 14 public minutes. He wants to try and convict someone for the sinking of the Queen of the North and deflect responsibility away from the shipowners."
She said some crew members are declining to answer questions on the advice of their lawyers.
Mr. Hahn has threatened to suspend or fire employees who refuse to co-operate with the internal inquiry.
Two passengers died when the Queen of the North sank in 430 metres of water.
It was the first sinking in the history of B.C. Ferries.
Yesterday's charge and countercharge heightened the swirling controversy this week over the disclosure that some crew members on the bridge of the Queen of the North were unfamiliar with the vessel's newly installed steering and navigational equipment.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which is investigating the accident, was sufficiently alarmed by the finding to send a safety advisory to Mr. Hahn.
Suggesting that management was responsible for the crew's lack of training on the new equipment, the TSB advised the fleet to take steps to ensure that, in future, all relevant crew members are adequately trained on new or modified equipment.
Mr. Hahn has questioned the significance of the advisory, wondering why crew members would sail if they did not know how some of the equipment worked.
Ms. Miller, meanwhile, called for a complete safety audit of the ferry fleet.
"B.C. Ferries has consciously made decisions, in the past, to sail vessels our members deem to be unsafe," she told a crowded news conference.
TSB investigators hope to send a submersible to the wreck of the Queen of the North soon.
Spokesman John Cottreau said the submersible will try to photograph the bridge of the sunken ferry and try to bring up the ship's electronic chart system.
The ECS, installed during a refit, has emerged as a key element in the investigation. While not the only navigation instrument on board, the ECS is designed to show exactly where a ship is, with respect to the shore, on both sides of a waterway.
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June 7, 2006, Union calls for safety audit of B.C. Ferries
Victoria — The B.C. ferry workers' union is calling on the government to conduct a full safety audit of the ferry system as questions swirl around why the Queen of the North sank.
Union president Jackie Miller told a news conference in Victoria on Wednesday that the B.C. Liberals made a fatal error by privatizing the Crown corporation.
The government made B.C. Ferries an independent operating authority with provincial taxpayers as the sole shareholder.
Ms. Miller said her members have answered all the questions posed by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the RCMP and the corporation's lawyers about the March 22 tragedy.
She added that lawyers acting for the vessel's crew have advised their clients not to participate in an internal B.C. Ferries inquiry.
She also says company CEO David Hahn has been sandbagging the ship's crew by saying he was surprised that no one mentioned being unfamiliar with new steering and navigational equipment as a TSB report found.
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June 7, 2006, Ferry management gets blame, Bosses responsible for lack of training, senior accident investigator says, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- It is the responsibility of management to ensure crew and officers on board ships are familiar with new equipment, a senior investigator looking into the sinking of the Queen of the North said yesterday.
Eric Asselin of the Transportation Safety Board was elaborating on a letter sent by the TSB to B.C. Ferries last month, informing corporation president David Hahn that not all crew on the bridge knew how to operate recently installed steering and navigation systems on board the passenger ferry.
"One thing for sure: B.C. Ferries does have a training officer," Mr. Asselin said in an interview with CBC Radio.
"One would expect that person . . . to ensure that those people -- the crew members or officers -- are fully knowledgeable in using these two pieces of equipment."
He added, "There was a lack of training, and we are saying that training should be part and parcel of management [responsibility]."
The Queen of the North slammed into Gil Island in the middle of the night of March 22 as it went drastically off course travelling through the narrow channels of the Inside Passage south of Prince Rupert.
The large ship quickly sank, killing two passengers. The remaining 99 passengers and crew made it to land in the vessel's lifeboats.
The TSB letter to Mr. Hahn said some crew on the bridge were not sure how to operate new equipment that controlled the autopilot on board.
As well, some did not know of an added software feature allowing crew to dim the screen glare of the ferry's electronic charting system.
To avoid the glare, the ECS -- a key night-time navigational aid -- was sporadically turned off by crew members unaware that the screen brightness could be adjusted.
"The personnel in charge of navigation that night didn't know how to use that feature effectively," Mr. Asselin said, "and they had to shut down that screen to avoid all that glare on the bridge."
The Queen of the North had completed a refit about three weeks before its final voyage.
"Not all crew members appear to have been adequately briefed," the TSB letter to Mr. Hahn said.
The letter, known as a marine safety advisory, suggested the ferry fleet should take steps to ensure all officers and crew are trained on new or modified equipment so they can "safely carry out their duties."
TSB spokesman John Cottreau stressed the board is a long way from completing its report on the ferry sinking.
"[But] our investigators turned up a safety deficiency . . . and we are telling B.C. Ferries about what we uncovered," he said.
"We don't wait for the final report if something needs to be done. We haven't drawn any conclusions, but we've seen this thing, and it's starting to quack like a duck."
Mr. Cottreau stressed the lack of training was not "a root cause" of the tragedy. "It could be a contributing factor, but there's never just one factor in an accident."
He said TSB investigators are focusing on all aspects of the bridge operation aboard the Queen of the North, including the status of the autopilot, when it collided at high speed with the rocky island.
"It seems that some of the knobs and some of the commands within the autopilot were not fully appreciated by the officer of the watch or the bridge crew," Mr. Asselin told CBC.
Since receiving the safety board's warning, B.C. Ferries has required all officers to sign a document attesting that they are "fully acquainted" with any new equipment on their ships.
Mr. Hahn, meanwhile, has questioned the significance of the crew's alleged lack of training, arguing that, as experienced mariners, they should not have been on the bridge if they did not feel qualified to operate unfamiliar equipment.
"I would argue very strongly they should have stood up and said, 'I can't sail the ship,' " said Mr. Hahn. "Would you take a 25-foot power board out in the middle of Howe Sound if you didn't know how to operate a power boat?"
The ferry boss and workers' union are at odds over the company's internal investigation of the sinking.
The union is supporting several members who are refusing to co-operate with the investigation, although they have talked to representatives of the federal safety board.
Mr. Hahn has threatened recalcitrant union members with discipline if they maintain their refusal to answer questions.
The union is expected to respond to the escalating tension and new revelations about the loss of the vessel at a news conference this morning.
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June 6, 2006, Preliminary report on ferry sinking points to human error
VANCOUVER — A preliminary report on the sinking of a B.C. ferry suggests human error was to blame, not mechanical failure.
The report by the Transportation Safety Board says crew members were unfamiliar with the Queen of the North's new steering and navigation system.
The report also says crucial navigational monitors were shut off by crew because they either didn't know or understand how important the equipment was, Global BC reported Monday night.
The ferry crashed into Gill Island in the middle of the night on March 22 and sank with 101 people on board.
Thanks to the quick response of rescue members and the people of nearby Hartley Bay all were saved except for two.
Now more than two months later the Transportation Safety Board's preliminary findings have been released publicly.
Global BC reports that in a letter to BC Ferries, the Transportation Safety Board details some troubling findings. The board states that information gathered so far has revealed that some bridge team members were not familiar with all of the use of all of the bridge equipment and controls.
For example, Global reported, members of the bridge team had different understandings of how the recently installed steering mode selector switch worked and which function each setting of the switch performed.
Additionally, not all of the bridge team members were aware of the various settings available for the display of the electronic chart system or ECS.
The ECS was left on but the monitor was turned off at night to reduce the ambient light within the wheelhouse, Global BC reported.
The monitor would be turned on momentarily only when required. This effectively negated the benefits of the electronic chart system, Global BC reported.
BC Ferries president David Hahn was not available to comment about the findings, nor was a union representative.
A final report into the Queen of the North crash and sinking isn't expected for several months but the preliminary findings indicate that there probably was no mechanical failure, only human error, Global reported.
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June 6, 2006, Ferry's crew unsure of steering, Transportation Safety Board letter cites refit of equipment aboard ill-fated ship, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Some crew members on the bridge of the ill-fated Queen of the North were unfamiliar with a new steering mechanism recently installed on board, the Transportation Safety Board has found.
In a letter sent in May to B.C. Ferries president David Hahn, the TSB pinpointed several difficulties the crew had with a switch to select different steering functions such as auto pilot or manual operation on the large passenger ferry.
The Queen of the North went down in the early hours of March 22 after striking Gil Island at a high rate of speed as it travelled through narrow channels south of Prince Rupert known as the Inside Passage.
Although 99 passengers and crew managed to escape the stricken ferry, two people were trapped inside and died as the ship sank in 430 metres of water.
The letter is the first to offer any possible clues as to why the ferry may have gone so far off course without alerting anyone on the bridge in time to prevent it from striking the rocky island.
However, B.C. Ferries president David Hahn stressed that it is far too early to speculate whether the crew's lack of training on the new equipment was a major factor in the sinking, the first in the ferry fleet's long history.
"I think one has to be a little careful," Mr. Hahn said in an interview late yesterday.
He said crew members were interviewed shortly after the sinking. "Was this an emotional response by them? I don't know.
"I'm convinced some of them [the crew] said that, but these guys are experienced mariners. . . . Would you take on the risk [of piloting that ferry] without being fully comfortable with the equipment?"
But Mr. Hahn acknowledged, "We have to wait for the final report from the Transport Safety Board, but they are clearly telling us this may have been a factor."
He said the ferry fleet has responded to the letter by requiring ship officers to sign documents attesting that they are fully acquainted with how to operate any modified or newly installed equipment.
According to the May 11 letter from Marcel Ayeko, acting director of investigations for the federal safety board's marine division, the Queen of the North had completed a refit in early March.
The refit included the installation of a new steering-mode selector switch.
"Not all crew members appear to have been adequately briefed," the letter said.
Specifically, according to the letter, members of the bridge team had different understandings of how the switch worked and what function each setting of the switch performed, including auto pilot and jog (manual) steering.
As well, some bridge team members were not aware of the various night-time settings to reduce the glare of the ship's electronic chart system.
As a result, at night, the ECS was left on but the monitor turned off "to reduce to ambient light within the wheelhouse," the letter said.
Mr. Ayeko stopped short of suggesting these were factors in the ship's sinking, but warned Mr. Hahn, "It is essential that crew members be thoroughly prepared in advance so that they are able to operate the vessel safely from the outset."
The transport board's letter recalls comments by B.C. Ferries then-director of safety, Captain Darin Bowland, one week before the Queen of the North accident.
Capt. Bowland told a meeting that he was increasingly concerned about the complexity of new equipment aboard ships.
He cited "the immense complexity of today's bridge equipment and concerns some officers have that training standards have by no means kept up with the rapid change that is occurring."
Capt. Bowland subsequently resigned his position.
The TSB letter said the practice with new equipment is for those crew members who have received training to pass it on to other crew.
But it questioned whether this is a sufficient safeguard.
Archive, Source, June 6: Preliminary report on ferry sinking points to human error.
Archive, Source, June 7: Ferry management gets blame.
Archive, Source, June 7: Union calls for safety audit of B.C. Ferries.
Archive, Source, June 8: Dispute muddies ferry probe.
Archive, Source, June 13: B.C. Ferries receives $67.9-million for lost ship.
Archive, Source, June 13: Former B.C. Ferries safety chief launches lawsuit.
Archive, Source, June 14: Insider says he raised alarm on B.C. Ferries.
Archive, Source, June 15: B.C. Ferries rejects claims of safety expert.
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June 15, 2006, B.C. Ferries rejects claims of safety expert, Man never set foot on ferries, official says, Mark Hume, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Amid a growing debate about safety issues, David Hahn, the president of B.C. Ferries, has flatly contradicted key allegations made by a safety expert who says his warnings were ignored prior to a disastrous sinking.
On Tuesday, Darin Bowland filed a statement of claim in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in a wrongful-dismissal suit, in which he said senior management at the company ignored his warnings that "there was a strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents" if safety practices were not immediately improved.
B.C. Ferries had hired Mr. Bowland as a safety expert slightly more than two months before the Queen of the North sank on March 22 when it collided with an island off B.C.'s central coast. He resigned five days after the accident, which left two passengers missing and presumed dead, but in his suit he says his departure amounts to constructive dismissal.
Mr. Bowland states his position as director of safety, health and environment was undermined and the company stripped him of fundamental functions while he was in Prince Rupert with an accident response team.
Although B.C. Ferries has not yet filed a statement of defence, Mr. Hahn responded to Mr. Bowland's charges yesterday while being interviewed by talk-show host Bill Good on Vancouver radio station CKNW.
"We reject all of his allegations," Mr. Hahn said. "I think what's interesting [is] he never set foot on the Queen of the North during his time here, never was on the Queen of Prince Rupert [a sister ship], was never in Prince Rupert or Port Hardy on any business from B.C. Ferries.
"Best as I know," Mr. Hahn continued, "he was only on four or five shifts during that period of time that he was here. I have no documents, or he never came to see me expressing any of these grave concerns nor [did he speak to] any of the senior officers that report to me."
Mr. Good replied: "He does say he warned that there was strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents if the ferry didn't improve safety practices. Did you know that? Did you ever hear that phrase, 'catastrophic incidents?' "
"Not at all. And nor, I would argue, has any senior member at B.C. Ferries," Mr. Hahn answered.
Late yesterday, a lawyer for Mr. Bowland, Rodney Hayley, issued a statement reasserting his client's allegations.
The statement said Mr. Hahn's contention that Mr. Bowland did not advise senior managers of his safety concerns was "totally false."
The statement added: "Capt. Bowland is recognized as having an impeccable reputation in relation to maritime safety matters. . .[and he] stands by all the allegations made in the statement of claim."
Asked in the radio interview whether Mr. Bowland had quit or had been let go, Mr. Hahn replied: "You know, there are all sorts of e-mails around that stuff, there's documentation on all that and I think we have to leave that to the court."
Later Mr. Good commented: "You say he resigned, he says he didn't. Who's telling the truth here?"
"I'm not going to answer the question around that," Mr. Hahn replied. "I would just tell you that I think it's important to have as much information around safety out and in the open."
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June 14, 2006, Insider says he raised alarm on B.C. Ferries, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Not long before the Queen of the North passenger ship ran into a rocky island and sank, B.C. Ferries' safety director warned of "catastrophic incidents" if the fleet's safety practices were not improved, according to a writ filed in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
In the writ, Darrin Bowland, who resigned his $100,000-a-year management post shortly after the sinking, said the tragedy "could well have [been] prevented" if senior executives at B.C. Ferries had heeded his alarm.
"Safety protocols and practices associated with [the] fleet were woefully inadequate," Mr. Bowland charged.
As well, once the ship went down with the loss of two lives, senior management prevented him from conducting an internal inquiry into the accident, he claimed.
The serious allegations are contained in a suit for damages Mr. Bowland has launched, arguing that the ferry corporation's "refusal to remedy problems that put the public at serious risk" made it ethically impossible for him to continue in his job.
The writ (the B.C. term for a statement of claim), comes at a time when B.C. Ferries is already feeling heat over alleged safety deficiencies in connection with the sinking.
The Transport Safety Board recently sent an advisory to fleet president David Hahn after finding that some crew on the bridge at the time of the collision were inadequately trained on new steering and navigation equipment.
In what now seems like a prescient speech to the Nautical Institute one week before the ferry mishap, Mr. Bowland had expressed concern over the increased complexity of such equipment and said training standards weren't keeping pace.
The ferry, carrying 101 crew and passengers, went drastically off course as it headed south from Prince Rupert through the narrow Inside Passage in the early hours of March 22.
The large vessel crashed into Gil Island at high speed and sank in deep water an hour later, the first sinking in the history of the province's large ferry fleet.
Passengers Gerald Foisy, 46, and his companion, Shirley Rosette, 42, did not escape.
Mr. Bowland was hired in January as B.C. Ferries' director of health, safety and the environment, after 11 years' service captaining luxury liners in the Caribbean.
After a review of fleet procedures, according to his writ, Mr. Bowland went to senior management and warned them of the "strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents" without immediate improvements to safety protocols and practices.
But fleet managers ignored the warning and failed to support his attempts to improve safety conditions, the writ said.
After the sinking, Mr. Bowland went to Prince Rupert to begin an internal inquiry, but was prevented from doing so by senior management, the writ continued. He resigned a few days later.
A press released issued by B.C. Ferries said he resigned for "personal reasons," raising an inference that he had somehow been at fault in the sinking of the Queen of the North, according to Mr. Bowland's writ.
Yet management knew that he quit over "the negative experiences he had . . . concerning critical issues of public safety," he contended. "The press release was false and misleading."
As a result, Mr. Bowland claimed, his reputation has been tarnished and he has been unable to find a new job.
His lawsuit seeks damages for negligent misrepresentation, wrongful dismissal and loss of reputation.
B.C. Ferries declined comment on Mr. Bowland's charges, none of which have been proven or tested in court.
"We do not discuss personnel matters or issues before the courts," said spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.
Asked whether the public should be alarmed by ongoing allegations of the fleet's poor safety practices, Ms. Marshall replied: "We feel we are one of the safest operations in the world."
The Transportation Safety Board, meanwhile, is continuing its investigation into the sinking.
A submersible will be sent to the sunken ship this week, with investigators hoping to focus on newly installed equipment on the ferry's bridge.
Evidence to date indicates that the vessel's electronic chart system was turned off at the time of the accident because crew members found its nighttime glare too bright.
They were unfamiliar with dimming adjustments on the new navigational aid, the TSB has said.
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June 13, 2006, Former B.C. Ferries safety chief launches lawsuit, Greg Joyce
Vancouver — The former safety director of B.C. Ferries who resigned after the sinking of the Queen of the North is suing the corporation, saying Ferries failed to heed his warnings of a possible catastrophic incident without fleet-wide safety improvements.
Darin Bowland filed a writ of summons in B.C. Supreme Court claiming damages for negligent misrepresentation, wrongful dismissal, loss of reputation, as well as aggravated and punitive damages.
He also claims that although Ferries told him safety was a high priority, the corporation prevented him from conducting an inquiry into the sinking of the Queen of the North on March 22,
In his writ, made public Tuesday, Mr. Bowland describes himself now as an unemployed master mariner. He said he was hired by Ferries as a director of safety, health and environment in early January 2006.
Ferries essentially ignored his advice about safety after he was hired, he claims.
“After commencing his employment with (Ferries) and after reviewing the safety protocols and practices associated with the fleet, the plaintiff warned the (Ferries) senior management that there was a strong likelihood of catastrophic incidents if the (Ferries) safety protocols and practices were not immediately improved,” Mr. Bowland says in the writ.
The writ's claims by Mr. Bowland are directed at safety conditions among the fleet generally and not specifically at the Queen of the North.
Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said Tuesday the lawsuit is now before the courts and the corporation would not comment because it is a personnel matter.
A statement of defence must be filed within 14 days.
Last week, Ferries CEO David Hahn called the system “incredibly safe” with very few incidents.
A week before the sinking, Mr. Bowland spoke to a regular meeting of the Nautical Institute, telling them he was concerned about training for crews facing increasingly complex equipment on ship's bridges.
Federal investigators continue to examine the sinking of the Queen of the North, which sank after it slammed into an island south of Prince Rupert. Two people are missing and presumed drowned, while the other 99 were rescued.
Last week, a letter from the Transportation Safety Board to the ferry corporation was made public.
The letter said some crew members have told investigators they were not familiar with the use of all of the bridge equipment and controls.
Mr. Bowland's writ claims the corporation's senior management “discouraged the plaintiff from putting his concerns about the safety protocols and practices in writing” as well as “failed to support the initiatives that the plaintiff suggested and that were urgently needed to remedy, at a systemic level, the unsafe conditions.”
The corporation was negligent in leading him to believe safety was important and it also removed his contractual duty to investigate the accident.
His authority as safety director was “severely undermined” following the accident, Mr. Bowland claims in the suit.
“Initially the (Ferries) senior management prevented (Mr. Bowland) from conducting a meaningful divisional inquiry into the sinking in accordance with (Ferries) written protocols.”
Moreover, he claims senior management eventually “prevented (Mr. Bowland) from conducting an inquiry into the sinking at all.”
After he resigned March 27, the corporation issued a “false and misleading” statement that he had resigned for personal reasons.
The corporation “tarnished” his reputation by suggesting that Mr. Bowland had somehow been responsible for the sinking and as a result his ability to find employment has been hampered, he says.
The writ does not explain why Mr. Bowland resigned from his previous job as captain of the luxury liner Radiance of the Seas — a job he says paid $220,000 annually — to accept one with Ferries at an annual salary of $100,000.
He had worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for 11 years prior to leaving that job.
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June 13, 2006, B.C. Ferries receives $67.9-million for lost ship
Vancouver -- B.C. Ferries has received $67.9-million in insurance compensation for the sinking of the Queen of the North.
The news came yesterday as the corporation announced year-end results showing profit of $49.9-million, up $14.7-million compared with 2005.
"You need the earnings to go out and spend the money to rebuild what has become a pretty beat-up ferry system," said CEO David Hahn.
The Queen of the North sank March 22 after striking Gil Island in Wright Sound. Two passengers are missing and presumed dead.
The investigation into the sinking remains stymied as two employees who were on the ferry's bridge are not co-operating, on the advice of union lawyers. Ottawa continues to investigate the incident, which resulted in two lawsuits against B.C. Ferries.
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June 8, 2006, Dispute muddies ferry probe, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- As federal investigators prepare a new dive to the final resting place of the Queen of the North, the waters are being muddied by a war of words between B.C. Ferries president David Hahn and the union representing officers and crew aboard the vessel when it crashed into an island and sank.
Shortly after the ferry-workers union called yesterday for a full safety audit of the large B.C. ferry fleet, Mr. Hahn accused two union members of stonewalling company attempts to get to the bottom of the sinking.
He said they have refused to shed light on what happened during critical minutes when the large ferry veered off course in the narrow Grenville Channel, south of Prince Rupert, and ran into Gil Island at high speed in the early hours of March 22. One of them was on the bridge at the time, Mr. Hahn told reporters. "There's 14 minutes of a black hole that needs to be filled."
But B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union president Jackie Miller shot back that Mr. Hahn already knows what occurred. Early on, she said, the ship's crew answered all questions put to them about the sinking by the fleet's corporate lawyers. "He has access to every aspect of the voyage through his own legal counsel," Ms. Miller said.
She said those questions were answered on a confidential basis, as part of an investigation into the sinking, for insurance purposes.
But there is no protection for crew members in the company's own internal inquiry, Ms. Miller said, adding that information they provide may be used against them in potential legal action or even made public.
"What Mr. Hahn wants is 14 public minutes. He wants to try and convict someone for the sinking of the Queen of the North and deflect responsibility away from the shipowners."
She said some crew members are declining to answer questions on the advice of their lawyers.
Mr. Hahn has threatened to suspend or fire employees who refuse to co-operate with the internal inquiry.
Two passengers died when the Queen of the North sank in 430 metres of water.
It was the first sinking in the history of B.C. Ferries.
Yesterday's charge and countercharge heightened the swirling controversy this week over the disclosure that some crew members on the bridge of the Queen of the North were unfamiliar with the vessel's newly installed steering and navigational equipment.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which is investigating the accident, was sufficiently alarmed by the finding to send a safety advisory to Mr. Hahn.
Suggesting that management was responsible for the crew's lack of training on the new equipment, the TSB advised the fleet to take steps to ensure that, in future, all relevant crew members are adequately trained on new or modified equipment.
Mr. Hahn has questioned the significance of the advisory, wondering why crew members would sail if they did not know how some of the equipment worked.
Ms. Miller, meanwhile, called for a complete safety audit of the ferry fleet.
"B.C. Ferries has consciously made decisions, in the past, to sail vessels our members deem to be unsafe," she told a crowded news conference.
TSB investigators hope to send a submersible to the wreck of the Queen of the North soon.
Spokesman John Cottreau said the submersible will try to photograph the bridge of the sunken ferry and try to bring up the ship's electronic chart system.
The ECS, installed during a refit, has emerged as a key element in the investigation. While not the only navigation instrument on board, the ECS is designed to show exactly where a ship is, with respect to the shore, on both sides of a waterway.
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June 7, 2006, Union calls for safety audit of B.C. Ferries
Victoria — The B.C. ferry workers' union is calling on the government to conduct a full safety audit of the ferry system as questions swirl around why the Queen of the North sank.
Union president Jackie Miller told a news conference in Victoria on Wednesday that the B.C. Liberals made a fatal error by privatizing the Crown corporation.
The government made B.C. Ferries an independent operating authority with provincial taxpayers as the sole shareholder.
Ms. Miller said her members have answered all the questions posed by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the RCMP and the corporation's lawyers about the March 22 tragedy.
She added that lawyers acting for the vessel's crew have advised their clients not to participate in an internal B.C. Ferries inquiry.
She also says company CEO David Hahn has been sandbagging the ship's crew by saying he was surprised that no one mentioned being unfamiliar with new steering and navigational equipment as a TSB report found.
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June 7, 2006, Ferry management gets blame, Bosses responsible for lack of training, senior accident investigator says, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- It is the responsibility of management to ensure crew and officers on board ships are familiar with new equipment, a senior investigator looking into the sinking of the Queen of the North said yesterday.
Eric Asselin of the Transportation Safety Board was elaborating on a letter sent by the TSB to B.C. Ferries last month, informing corporation president David Hahn that not all crew on the bridge knew how to operate recently installed steering and navigation systems on board the passenger ferry.
"One thing for sure: B.C. Ferries does have a training officer," Mr. Asselin said in an interview with CBC Radio.
"One would expect that person . . . to ensure that those people -- the crew members or officers -- are fully knowledgeable in using these two pieces of equipment."
He added, "There was a lack of training, and we are saying that training should be part and parcel of management [responsibility]."
The Queen of the North slammed into Gil Island in the middle of the night of March 22 as it went drastically off course travelling through the narrow channels of the Inside Passage south of Prince Rupert.
The large ship quickly sank, killing two passengers. The remaining 99 passengers and crew made it to land in the vessel's lifeboats.
The TSB letter to Mr. Hahn said some crew on the bridge were not sure how to operate new equipment that controlled the autopilot on board.
As well, some did not know of an added software feature allowing crew to dim the screen glare of the ferry's electronic charting system.
To avoid the glare, the ECS -- a key night-time navigational aid -- was sporadically turned off by crew members unaware that the screen brightness could be adjusted.
"The personnel in charge of navigation that night didn't know how to use that feature effectively," Mr. Asselin said, "and they had to shut down that screen to avoid all that glare on the bridge."
The Queen of the North had completed a refit about three weeks before its final voyage.
"Not all crew members appear to have been adequately briefed," the TSB letter to Mr. Hahn said.
The letter, known as a marine safety advisory, suggested the ferry fleet should take steps to ensure all officers and crew are trained on new or modified equipment so they can "safely carry out their duties."
TSB spokesman John Cottreau stressed the board is a long way from completing its report on the ferry sinking.
"[But] our investigators turned up a safety deficiency . . . and we are telling B.C. Ferries about what we uncovered," he said.
"We don't wait for the final report if something needs to be done. We haven't drawn any conclusions, but we've seen this thing, and it's starting to quack like a duck."
Mr. Cottreau stressed the lack of training was not "a root cause" of the tragedy. "It could be a contributing factor, but there's never just one factor in an accident."
He said TSB investigators are focusing on all aspects of the bridge operation aboard the Queen of the North, including the status of the autopilot, when it collided at high speed with the rocky island.
"It seems that some of the knobs and some of the commands within the autopilot were not fully appreciated by the officer of the watch or the bridge crew," Mr. Asselin told CBC.
Since receiving the safety board's warning, B.C. Ferries has required all officers to sign a document attesting that they are "fully acquainted" with any new equipment on their ships.
Mr. Hahn, meanwhile, has questioned the significance of the crew's alleged lack of training, arguing that, as experienced mariners, they should not have been on the bridge if they did not feel qualified to operate unfamiliar equipment.
"I would argue very strongly they should have stood up and said, 'I can't sail the ship,' " said Mr. Hahn. "Would you take a 25-foot power board out in the middle of Howe Sound if you didn't know how to operate a power boat?"
The ferry boss and workers' union are at odds over the company's internal investigation of the sinking.
The union is supporting several members who are refusing to co-operate with the investigation, although they have talked to representatives of the federal safety board.
Mr. Hahn has threatened recalcitrant union members with discipline if they maintain their refusal to answer questions.
The union is expected to respond to the escalating tension and new revelations about the loss of the vessel at a news conference this morning.
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June 6, 2006, Preliminary report on ferry sinking points to human error
VANCOUVER — A preliminary report on the sinking of a B.C. ferry suggests human error was to blame, not mechanical failure.
The report by the Transportation Safety Board says crew members were unfamiliar with the Queen of the North's new steering and navigation system.
The report also says crucial navigational monitors were shut off by crew because they either didn't know or understand how important the equipment was, Global BC reported Monday night.
The ferry crashed into Gill Island in the middle of the night on March 22 and sank with 101 people on board.
Thanks to the quick response of rescue members and the people of nearby Hartley Bay all were saved except for two.
Now more than two months later the Transportation Safety Board's preliminary findings have been released publicly.
Global BC reports that in a letter to BC Ferries, the Transportation Safety Board details some troubling findings. The board states that information gathered so far has revealed that some bridge team members were not familiar with all of the use of all of the bridge equipment and controls.
For example, Global reported, members of the bridge team had different understandings of how the recently installed steering mode selector switch worked and which function each setting of the switch performed.
Additionally, not all of the bridge team members were aware of the various settings available for the display of the electronic chart system or ECS.
The ECS was left on but the monitor was turned off at night to reduce the ambient light within the wheelhouse, Global BC reported.
The monitor would be turned on momentarily only when required. This effectively negated the benefits of the electronic chart system, Global BC reported.
BC Ferries president David Hahn was not available to comment about the findings, nor was a union representative.
A final report into the Queen of the North crash and sinking isn't expected for several months but the preliminary findings indicate that there probably was no mechanical failure, only human error, Global reported.
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June 6, 2006, Ferry's crew unsure of steering, Transportation Safety Board letter cites refit of equipment aboard ill-fated ship, Rod Mickleburgh
VANCOUVER -- Some crew members on the bridge of the ill-fated Queen of the North were unfamiliar with a new steering mechanism recently installed on board, the Transportation Safety Board has found.
In a letter sent in May to B.C. Ferries president David Hahn, the TSB pinpointed several difficulties the crew had with a switch to select different steering functions such as auto pilot or manual operation on the large passenger ferry.
The Queen of the North went down in the early hours of March 22 after striking Gil Island at a high rate of speed as it travelled through narrow channels south of Prince Rupert known as the Inside Passage.
Although 99 passengers and crew managed to escape the stricken ferry, two people were trapped inside and died as the ship sank in 430 metres of water.
The letter is the first to offer any possible clues as to why the ferry may have gone so far off course without alerting anyone on the bridge in time to prevent it from striking the rocky island.
However, B.C. Ferries president David Hahn stressed that it is far too early to speculate whether the crew's lack of training on the new equipment was a major factor in the sinking, the first in the ferry fleet's long history.
"I think one has to be a little careful," Mr. Hahn said in an interview late yesterday.
He said crew members were interviewed shortly after the sinking. "Was this an emotional response by them? I don't know.
"I'm convinced some of them [the crew] said that, but these guys are experienced mariners. . . . Would you take on the risk [of piloting that ferry] without being fully comfortable with the equipment?"
But Mr. Hahn acknowledged, "We have to wait for the final report from the Transport Safety Board, but they are clearly telling us this may have been a factor."
He said the ferry fleet has responded to the letter by requiring ship officers to sign documents attesting that they are fully acquainted with how to operate any modified or newly installed equipment.
According to the May 11 letter from Marcel Ayeko, acting director of investigations for the federal safety board's marine division, the Queen of the North had completed a refit in early March.
The refit included the installation of a new steering-mode selector switch.
"Not all crew members appear to have been adequately briefed," the letter said.
Specifically, according to the letter, members of the bridge team had different understandings of how the switch worked and what function each setting of the switch performed, including auto pilot and jog (manual) steering.
As well, some bridge team members were not aware of the various night-time settings to reduce the glare of the ship's electronic chart system.
As a result, at night, the ECS was left on but the monitor turned off "to reduce to ambient light within the wheelhouse," the letter said.
Mr. Ayeko stopped short of suggesting these were factors in the ship's sinking, but warned Mr. Hahn, "It is essential that crew members be thoroughly prepared in advance so that they are able to operate the vessel safely from the outset."
The transport board's letter recalls comments by B.C. Ferries then-director of safety, Captain Darin Bowland, one week before the Queen of the North accident.
Capt. Bowland told a meeting that he was increasingly concerned about the complexity of new equipment aboard ships.
He cited "the immense complexity of today's bridge equipment and concerns some officers have that training standards have by no means kept up with the rapid change that is occurring."
Capt. Bowland subsequently resigned his position.
The TSB letter said the practice with new equipment is for those crew members who have received training to pass it on to other crew.
But it questioned whether this is a sufficient safeguard.
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