Classification
- Incident Type: Capsize girding
- Severity: High
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Vézina No. 1 |
| Vessel Type | Other |
| Flag State | Canada [CA] |
| IMO Number | |
| Official Number | 323039 |
| Gross Tonnage | 13.42 |
| LOA (m) | 9.5 |
| Year Built | 1967 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 1995-05-01 |
| Location | Port of Quebec, Quebec |
| Region | Canada |
| Coordinates | 46.8075, -71.2077 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
Key facts
- Vézina No. 1 was assisting the towing of Cavalier Maxim and was itself assisted by Service Boat II.
- During an attempted 180-degree port turn, the towline became taut and the service vessel girded, downflooded, and capsized within about one minute.
- The operator remained in the wheelhouse and died by drowning; the deckhand was rescued.
- The vessel was refloated two days later, with damage to electronic navigation instruments and the engine.
- The TSB found that the manoeuvre, the short and steeply angled towline, and the way the towline was attached caused or contributed to the capsize.
Narrative
On 1 May 1995, the service vessel Vézina No. 1 was assisting the towing of the passenger vessel Cavalier Maxim toward Louise Basin and was working with Service Boat II. Vézina No. 1 was positioned on Cavalier Maxim's port quarter, with the towline eye hooked over a towing bitt on the service vessel. The operator attempted to turn 180 degrees to port so that Vézina No. 1 could be drawn stern-first behind the passenger vessel.
As the turn progressed, the towline became taut and Vézina No. 1 was pulled onto its starboard side. The vessel became girded, downflooded, and capsized within about one minute. The deckhand could not reach the fire axe to sever the towline and was pulled from the water by Service Boat II. The operator remained in the wheelhouse and died by drowning; commercial divers later recovered his body.
The TSB found that the manoeuvre was the initial cause, and that the towline was too short and set at too steep an angle. The towline eye had been hooked over a bitt rather than rove around it, preventing continuous control and emergency release. The wheelhouse doors were secured open and contributed to downflooding. Vézina No. 1 was refloated two days later; damage was limited to the electronic navigation instruments and engine, and only a few litres of diesel were spilled.
The report records that Vézina No. 1 met the applicable stability standard, although the operator did not hold a valid certificate for the commercial towing operation. Coast Guard search-and-rescue units arrived promptly, and commercial divers later recovered the operator. The TSB concluded that carrying divers aboard the responding Coast Guard vessel would not have changed the outcome.
The deckhand was the only other crew member and was rescued without a recorded injury.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 1995-05-01 | Vézina No. 1 assisted the tow of Cavalier Maxim toward Louise Basin while working with Service Boat II. |
| 1995-05-01 | The operator attempted a 180-degree port turn; the towline became taut, and Vézina No. 1 girded, downflooded, and capsized. |
| 1995-05-01 | Service Boat II rescued the deckhand; the operator was later recovered from the wheelhouse by commercial divers. |
| 1995-05-03 | Vézina No. 1 was refloated two days after the occurrence. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Manoeuvre attempted | Confirmed finding | The TSB determined that the manner in which the 180-degree turn was attempted initiated the capsize sequence. |
| Towline geometry | Confirmed finding | The towline was too short and the angle between its attachment points was too steep for the manoeuvre. |
| Towline attachment | Confirmed finding | The towline eye was hooked over a towing bitt, preventing the crew from maintaining control or releasing the line in an emergency. |
| Open wheelhouse doors | Confirmed finding | The doors contributed to downflooding, loss of stability, and capsizing. |
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigated the occurrence in report M95L0010. It concluded that the attempted manoeuvre initiated the capsize and that towline geometry and attachment prevented effective control or emergency release. The report also found that the operator's death resulted from drowning after he remained trapped in the wheelhouse.