Tug Sinks Near Kitimat

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MurrayM

MurrayM

Guru
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Messages
5,946
Location
Canada
Vessel Name
Badger
Vessel Make
30' Sundowner Tug
Sad news...

A tug towing equipment bound for Kemano sank in Gardner Canal (approximately 35 Kilometres south of Kitimat) just past midnight last night. Two people died...one person made it to shore, was rescued by private helicopter, and is now in hospital.

Last night was -17C (1.4F) and northerly outflow winds were gusting 45 knots.

Horrible loss...deepest condolences to the families.

https://www.vicnews.com/news/at-least-one-dead-in-tugboat-incident-south-of-kitimat/
 
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Oh man. That'd be horrific at 2 p.m. on a sunny afternoon. Add pitch black, bitter cold, and high winds and I can't think of bad enough words to describe it. So sorry for the crew, families, and rescuers (kudos to them).
 
Frosty said:
Oh man. That'd be horrific at 2 p.m. on a sunny afternoon. Add pitch black, bitter cold, and high winds and I can't think of bad enough words to describe it. So sorry for the crew, families, and rescuers (kudos to them).
Click to expand...

I'd guesstimate at least 50% of the 'shoreline' of Gardner Canal's 90 Km length is near vertical, glacially carved smooth rock. Can't imagine how the one person got to shore, let alone survive the night.

Horrific indeed.
 
Thank you for posting this follow-up.

As a local, do you have an idea of the depth where the tug sank (article speaks of potentially raising it)?
 
Frosty said:
Thank you for posting this follow-up.

As a local, do you have an idea of the depth where the tug sank (article speaks of potentially raising it)?
Click to expand...

Anywhere from 500' to 1,600' deep (mid-channel...very steep along sides) depending on where it went down.
 
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Here's an online chart linked below...there would have been northerly outflow winds gusting 45 knots coming down Douglas Channel and 45 knot outflow winds coming down Gardner Canal towards Douglas Channel.

I think that's where the tug went down, where those two winds would have met.

Imagine what the conditions would have been like. -17C. Two 45 knot winds meeting. Two wave sets colliding. Steep rocky wave rebounding shorelines. Strong currents.

Some bad craziness. Don't know why they went. The seasoned crew knew the risks, but the poor rookie...

i-Boating : Free Marine Navigation Charts & Fishing Maps
 
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Wow, Having grown up in the BC mountains, I can imagine what the conditions might have been like with those winds funneling down the channel. Gale force winds, incredibly steep, confused waves in the dark while towing a heavy barge . It would have been a nightmare.

It seems that most industries have gone over the top with safety measures over the past decade, but there are still some areas that are operating in a safety void. So sad.
 
Not saying this happened, but I recently learned of its existence on Tim B. At Sea's channel..... "tripping a tugboat".....

 
Transportation Safety Board will be extending its investigation.

Union is calling for more regulations regarding smaller tugs. See link for an article about this effort, and to see a photo of the tug...steep short frequency waves would have been over the pilothouse roof, maybe even approaching the radar:

https://www.thenorthernview.com/loc...a-protect-workers-along-b-c-coast-and-rivers/

There are so many rivers and creeks here that you have to go down a few feet to find salt water (seagulls take baths mid channel and we paddled 3/4 the way down Princess Royal Island before salt started showing up on our sprayskirts) so freezing spray must have been horrible. Could that have bunged up their radar?
 
MurrayM said:
Transportation Safety Board will be extending its investigation.

Union is calling for more regulations regarding smaller tugs. See link for an article about this effort, and to see a photo of the tug...steep short frequency waves would have been over the pilothouse roof, maybe even approaching the radar:

https://www.thenorthernview.com/loc...a-protect-workers-along-b-c-coast-and-rivers/

There are so many rivers and creeks here that you have to go down a few feet to find salt water (seagulls take baths mid channel and we paddled 3/4 the way down Princess Royal Island before salt started showing up on our sprayskirts) so freezing spray must have been horrible. Could that have bunged up their radar?
Click to expand...

I don't see much free board in that photo...
 
Wow. Thanks for posting. I have felt the out flow winds while crossing to the trench. Not fun.
 
Murray,
I have often wondered viewing these small tugs passing our home or having serviced several many years back while station manager of the Standard Oil plant in Wrangell, when these tugs were active in deliver of mining supplies up the Stikine River to gold mine operations, being amazed at the horsepower put in such small hulls. Even then, not thinking of safety, was the purposed of the size and power a process of avoiding some Canadian marine rules on license and or insurances. We have a open without licensed personnel on boats under 26 feet ( Log broncs, boom boats, as example)
Watching these small rigs pulling the hell out of a obviously oversize barge(s) yes, I have witnessed a couple of double tows in the aforementioned Stikine river operations.
Another seemingly danger is the process of 'Tipping' where the small size and weight of the tug is more easy in peril given abeam tight line situation will place the tug in a broaching quandary.

Your reports on this incident are enlightening
Al
 
Tugs are dangerous, especially when working. They are very powerful, they have low freeboard and under load the balance is constantly changing.

Condolences to the families.

pete
 
Couple questions linger...

How much discretion does a Captain have to delay departure due to weather?

How much pressure was there to get the barge to Kemano from both the customer and the tugs owner/office?
 
MurrayM said:
Couple questions linger...

How much discretion does a Captain have to delay departure due to weather?

How much pressure was there to get the barge to Kemano from both the customer and the tugs owner/office?
Click to expand...

Questions which generated hundreds of posts on El Faro.
 
DryDoc said:
Questions which generated hundreds of posts on El Faro.
Click to expand...


And it goes to show even in professions where the title "captain" is supposed to mean something....as long as someone else signs your paycheck, and decision you make can mean your termination.


Especially in jobs where you say no, they get someone else to do it and they get lucky....it makes you look pretty bad. That's why companies are encouraged by safety agencies to enact a fairly strict risk management procedure to make go/no go decisions.
 
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