Officials report likely cause of whale-watching boat sinking

Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 8:17 AM - The tragic sinking of a whale-watching boat off the coast of Tofino, B.C. was likely the result of an imbalance of weight aboard the vessel when it was struck by a wave.

Most of the passengers and crew were gathered on one side of the boat's top deck when it capsized, making it more prone to roll over when a large wave struck, according to the Transportation Safety Board.

"This would have raised the centre of gravity, affecting the vessel's stability," said Marc-André Poisson, the TSB's director of marine investigations, at a news conference in Tofino on Tuesday.

The TSB has emphasized that these are preliminary findings and that other factors that could have played a role in the accident are being investigated. A complete investigation into the incident could take several months.

The MV Leviathan II, operated by Jamie’s Whaling Station and Adventure Centres, was one of the largest vessels to operate out of the area and had 27 aboard when it sank off the western shore of Vancouver Island, sending the passengers into the cold waters of the north Pacific.

Jack Slater from Milton, Ont. is among those killed Sunday.

Five British Nationals died as well, including David Thomas, 50, and his 17-year-old son Stephen.

The search continues for a missing Australian man.

All of the known victims were not wearing life jackets when they were found, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. Life jackets or flotation devices are not required to be worn aboard ships the size of the MV Leviathan II, which measured 19 metres long.

Local fishermen on scene, including First Nations fishermen, helped pull the survivors from the water, and around 18 people were sent to hospital.

"Weather conditions were moderate, with cloud, some wind and light rain. However the waters on the west side of Vargas Island can be unpredictable," reads a release from the Ahousaht First Nation quoted by the CBC.

Fishing guide Lance Desilets told the Globe and Mail that part of the coast, Plover Reef, was popular among sightseers.

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“My guess is they were watching sea lions. I guess they got too close and hit the rocks,” he told the newspaper. "It’s rugged and rocky. There’s quite a substantial tide change ... Waves were crashing against the rocks and the tide would have been pulling you out."

Local fisherman Joe Martin told the CBC the area where the incident occurred is difficult to navigate.

"You have the ocean currents running by the coast here, and the tides running out. Also the tide from the inlet is running out, and it all kind of meets up in that place and it makes it really rough," he said.

The coast of B.C. is expected to see rain throughout the week, which has had an impact on search and rescue attempts. 

The RCMP sent a team to the area to investigate the incident on Tuesday, but were forced to cut their expedition short due to rough conditions. They discovered debris from the sunken vessel at the site of the capsizing.
If weather permits, divers planned to return to the water on Wednesday for what will likely be their final underwater search.

SOURCE: BBC | CBC | | CBC | Globe and Mail