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The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigated this occurrence for the purpose of advancing transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
Marine Investigation Report Report Number M01M0100 SummaryOn 05 September 2001 at 0630, while returning from the fishing grounds, the small fishing vessel Alain-Josée was reported swamped. The crew of three was rescued by the fishing vessel Joshua D. and transported to Escuminac wharf. The partially submerged vessel was subsequently towed to Escuminac and beached. No one was injured. Ce rapport est également disponible en français. Other Factual InformationParticulars of the Vessel
Description of the VesselThe Alain-Josée is a small wooden fishing vessel of open-deck construction. The wheelhouse and accommodation are located forward of the open working deck (well deck).
Description of the Voyage
By the morning of 05 September 2001, the load of fish caught was equivalent to about 80 barrels of herring, 6 barrels of which were contained in 12 fish boxes just aft of the wheelhouse. The bulk of the catch was left loose on the open-well deck. During the night, the weather had changed gradually from being moderately calm until early morning when thunderstorms developed. At approximately 0500, considering the worsening weather conditions and the large quantity of herring on deck, the crew decided to return to port. A vessel fishing nearby was invited to take the catch from two of the Alain-Josée nets remaining in the water. During the homeward voyage, winds gusted from the NNE at 15 to 20 knots and the seas began to build. At approximately 0630, the wind had increased to about 20 to 25 knots with wave heights reaching 3 to 5 m, when a wave came over the stern, flooding the loaded well deck. The crew started shovelling the herring over the side, but another wave lifted the stern and the vessel broached, shipping more water over the starboard bulwark. A submersible electric bilge pump, located at the bottom of the void space below the well deck, was pumping normally on automatic mode. Also, a gasoline-powered pump, which was available on board for emergencies, was started several times, but it was finally shut down because it could not obtain suction. The fishing vessel Joshua D. was close by and was called to assist. It manoeuvred alongside the Alain-Josée, from which the three crewmembers jumped to safety. They were not wearing lifejackets. The Joshua D. reported the incident and called for assistance, giving the ship's position as 47º02' N, 64º47' W (approximately 2.5 nautical miles (nm) south of Point Escuminac and 1.5 nm east of the New Brunswick coast). The Joshua D. then headed for port. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) auxiliary vessel Sea Princess 1 was tasked to assist. At the scene however, before an attempt could be made to use a portable emergency pump on board the CCG rescue vessel, the abandoned Alain-Josée settled beneath the waves with only the wheelhouse showing above water. Some time later, the partially submerged vessel was towed back to port. Injuries to PersonsThere were no injuries. Damage to the VesselThe vessel suffered water damage but had little structural damage. Damage to the EnvironmentA diesel oil slick about 300 m long was reported, but it was quickly dispersed by wind and wave action. The impact on the environment was considered minimal. Vessel CertificationAt less than 15 gross tons, the Alain-Josée falls under the Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations, PART II. Such vessels are not inspected by Transport Canada (TC) and there is no specific requirement for stability assessment or for control of the movement of fish carried in bulk. However, ship owners are obliged to ensure that their vessels meet all other requirements, including the provision of lifesaving equipment, fire extinguishing and navigating equipment. Personnel CertificationAlthough not required by regulations to be certificated, the owner/master held a Fishing Master Class IV certificate. WeatherThe master recalled that the forecast at 1700 on the evening of departure predicted bad weather for mid morning the next day. The forecast issued at 1530 on Tuesday 04 September 2001 predicted:
On the morning of the occurrence (Wednesday), the Maritime Forecast from Environment Canada, issued at 0300 on 05 September 2001, predicted:
According to the master of the Alain-Josée, the weather at 0630 on 05 September 2001, when the vessel was being swamped, was northerly winds at 20 to 25 knots, with thundershowers, and waves reaching 3 to 5 metres in height. He contended that these severe conditions were encountered several hours earlier than he had understood from the official forecasts. Fish on DeckThe total quantity of herring brought on deck was reported to be equivalent to about 80 barrels. At 113.5 kg per barrel, the total estimated load was 9080 kg, a portion of which (680 kg) was stored in 12 boxes secured behind the wheelhouse. The remainder of the catch (8400 kg) was left loose on deck, susceptible to shifting with movement of the vessel. AnalysisWater Drainage System
Portable Centrifugal PumpHonda portable pumps (see Photo 5b) have given rise to safety issues in the past, as referenced by TSB investigations M97M0005 and M97N0099.3 Due to their dissimilar metal components, and galvanic corrosion problems, these pumps are not recommended for use with sea water. A Ship Safety Bulletin (SSB 98-04) was issued by TC relating to the suitability of portable pumping equipment for the marine environment. The owner/operator reported having heard of Ship Safety Bulletins, but had never received one. Herring on Deck
At a very low freeboard of about 30 cm, the vessel had poor stability and little reserve buoyancy. The free movement of fish, worsened by shipped sea water over the well deck, threatened to capsize or founder the vessel. Taking WaterWhen a wave washed over the stern of the Alain-Josée, onto the well deck, an attempt was made by the crew to shovel some of the fish over the side, but without success. The gasoline-powered pump in the wheelhouse was started, but reportedly, there was no water in the bilge to pump and the unit was shut down. The accumulated water on deck was impeded from draining by the mass of fish covering the drain holes in the deck planking. The water on deck combined with the herring to form a fluid deck load, rendering the Alain-Josée unstable. When the vessel broached after the first wave, the fish moved to the starboard side, causing the vessel to list and allowing more waves to wash over the starboard rail and swamp the vessel. Vessel's Fitness for Intended UseTo achieve seaworthiness, a vessel must be sufficient in its material, construction and equipment to meet the rigours of its intended service. Cape Island type fishing vessels were originally designed to carry relatively small loads with adequate freeboard. In recent years, Cape Island type vessels, such as Alain-Josée, have been engaged in fisheries for which they were not originally designed, encouraging them to carry heavier deck loads, causing reduced freeboards, resulting in lower margins of safety in rough weather. Also, design features, such as deck drainage systems, which may have worked effectively in a particular type of fishery, can have a detrimental impact upon a vessel's safety or fitness for its intended use in another type of fishery. The Alain-Josée and similar vessels under 15 gross tons are not required to submit stability data for approval by TC either when newly built, or when they change to operate in a different type of fishery with increased loads. Consequently, an operator may not be aware that the increase in load, with corresponding decrease in freeboard, may place the vessel in a condition unfit for its intended use, resulting in the vessel being overwhelmed by the sea. Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors
Findings as to Risks
Other Findings
Safety ActionAction TakenTransport Canada -
This report concludes the TSB's investigation into this occurrence. Consequently, the Board authorized the release of this report on 10 April 2003. 1. Units of measurement in this report conform to International Maritime Organization standards or, where there is no such standard, are expressed in the International System of units. 2. All times are Atlantic daylight time (Coordinated Universal Time minus three hours) unless otherwise noted. 3. M97M0005 - Scotia Gold, M97N0099 - Petrolab |
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