The Transportation Safety Board has conducted in-depth interviews with two tugboat operators and the crew of a Seattle-based factory fishing trawler that slammed into a navy frigate in Esquimalt Harbour.
American Seafoods Company’s 272-foot trawler, American Dynasty, was being manoeuvred to a federal graving dock in Esquimalt Harbour by two Seaspan tugboats on Tuesday when the vessel somehow powered up, broke loose and slammed into HMCS Winnipeg, docked at C jetty.
Investigators include at least three Transportation Safety Board investigators, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigators, and the U.S. Coast Guard. A Transport Canada minister’s observer has also been appointed.
The investigators are now working on classifying the mishap.
“They are gathering as much data as they can to make a decision on how they are going to classify this occurrence,” said John Cottreau, safety board spokesman, in Ottawa.
The five possible classifications are:
• public inquiry
• full investigation with a report and recommendations
• full investigation with a report and no recommendations
• self-generated report initiated when a trend is detected in the safety board’s data base
• interviews and assessments with the determination that no further action is required.
The fourth classification doesn’t apply and the first is unlikely, Cottreau said. A decision is expected by Monday.
The safety board’s investigators also hope to interview some of the 65 shipyards workers aboard HMCS Winnipeg; anyone working on the dock to direct the vessels, and anyone else who witnessed the accident or had anything to do with the vessels’ manoeuvres in the harbour Tuesday morning.
“They are talking to whomever they can to gather as much information as they can,” Cottreau said.
Matthew D. Latimer, chief legal officer for American Seafoods Group, expects repairs to begin before the TSB issues its final report.
“Repairs are likely to begin after the TSB and other government authorities have concluded their on-board investigations,” Latimer said.
Neither the company nor the Canadian navy is offering an estimate of the damages incurred during the accident.
