Ship killed fisherman in Canada

THE Lynx which arrived in Trinidad on Friday to replace The Cat, has a dark/controversial past according to information unearthed by Sunday Newsday. The Lynx was once known as The Devil Cat. It once had a fatal collision in Canada with a small fishing boat, the Lady Megan II. Sunday Newsday traced the history of The Lynx using its shipyard number from Tasmania-based International Catamarans, Incat 046. On September 4, 1998 in Nova Scotia, Canada, a crash occurred with the Lady Megan II in which a man lost his life and in which Incat 046 was later found to be partly liable. An inquiry by the Transport Safety Board of Canada (TSB) into the collision placed most blame on the Lady Megan II for disobeying two agreements made by radio for the two vessels to navigate past each other, but also said Incat 046 had several factors which may have contributed to the accident.

The TSB report stated: “Due to the design of the fast ferry catamaran, the fishing vessel did not glance off the hull as commonly happens during a bow-on collision between a small and a large vessel.” “The fishing vessel’s wheelhouse collapsed on impact with the underside of the weather deck, between the port pontoon and the centre hull of the Incat 046. “Several unsuccessful attempts were made by the crews of both vessels involved to free the master while the fishing vessel was still under the ferry. At about 1.30am, after two attempts the Lady Megan II was freed from under Incat 046.” Mersey Shipping News reported: “The dragger skipper, Cliff Hood, 33, was trapped in his wheelhouse for three hours as rescuers desperately tried to cut him loose when his boat stuck beneath the catamaran, between its two hulls ... The wheelhouse was flattened and he was wedged under the ferry.” 

The TSB report also blamed the accident on the lighting and radar of the Incat 046, in addition to the Lady Megan II. The report also found that at close quarters the radar of the Incat 046 and Lady Megan II would not have created clear images of the other vessel, but been distorted by radar echoes, due to a phenomenon called the “side lobe effect.” Moreso, the report found that the Incat 046 would have been hard to see because of the positioning of its lights. Under heading, ‘Visibility of Side Lights,’ the report said Incat 046 could not have been seen by the Lady Megan II. “The side lights of the Incat 046 are mounted at mid-length of the vessel at 7.156 metres above the waterline. From a position 100 metres directly ahead of the vessel, the ship’s sides do not allow an approaching vessel to see the Incat 046 port and starboard side lights.

“It was not possible for the crew of the Lady Megan II to sight the side lights of the Incat 046 before the collision. In these close quarters, the fact that the crew of Incat 046 could see the side lights of the Lady Megan II means that the crew of the Lady Megan II latterly could not see the side lights of the Incat 046 due to the design of the ship (ie Incat 046) and not because of bad visibility due to fog.” Since the incident, various other concerns have been raised about the ship. There have been at least two instances where smaller boats claimed to have been almost capsized by the wake created by the passage of Incat 046. The TSB report said that since beginning operation in May 1998 the Incat 046 has been involved in one reported close quarters situation in the Yarmouth Harbour area. “That occurrence, which also involved a fishing vessel, occurred on July 21 1998 and was reported in writing to the TSB ... The unidentified fishing vessel reportedly altered course a few metres from the ferry and avoided the collision.”  

In a 1999 story Ellsworth American reported two other serious accidents at around the same time and place, allegedly caused by the wake produced by the fast ferry ploughing through the water. The newspaper reported: “Michael Bourqe, a rockweed harvester from Sluice Point, a village just outside of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, told police he was thrown from his 18-foot open boat when it was flipped upside down by the wake. The boat then fell on top of him and broke several of his ribs...” Ellsworth American recalled yet another accident in the same area. “Two visitors from Massachusetts were injured when the wake from the ferry flipped them onto the deck of their rented Mako. One landed on her face and the other hurt her wrist and ankle.” The newspaper reported that Bay Ferries had denied the wake from their ferry had caused the accidents. The case reached the law courts.

Recently there have been other concerns. In 2001 Incat 046 was found to have crackings in its hull which led to its detention by marine inspection authorities for three days in Canada, according to the Web-site of Equasis, a maritime monitoring organisation run by the European Union, United States Coast Guard, France and Japan. On October 1 2001 it was inspected at Yarmouth in Canada, and three deficiencies were discovered. These defects were “hull cracking”, “decks cracking”, and “operational damage” on its beams, frames and floors. The ship has been inspected once since then, on March 4 2002 in Australia, where no defects were found. Since then the vessel has been inspected only once by the Port State Control (PSC). Between 1998 and 2002, it was inspected 23 times out of which deficiencies were found on ten occasions, according to Equasis.

Incat 046 in April 1998 was due to be tested for military use at Fort Eustis in Virginia for the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command in Washington DC, including being outfitted to carry an attack helicopter, according to Federal Business Opportunities, a procurement firm used by the US Government.
This might explain why Incat 046 arrived in Trinidad on Friday still painted in a striking grey usually associated with the camouflage colours of ships of war. The on-line New Zealand Maritime Index said Incat 046 was laid up in Hobart, Tasmania, in 2003, without stating the reasons, and mentioned it had experienced “problems with speed in the Malborough Sounds.” In New Zealand, it was claimed that unlike newer Incat ships, the Incat 046 retains smoke in its cargo hold, to the discomfort of passengers loading their cars.

In New Zealand the Shipping News on September 9 2004 an article by Michael Price complained that unlike more modern Incat vessels, Incat 046 was  “funnel-less” with engines exhausting downwards between the hulls. “When her engines were operating, there was an unmistakably noticeable layer of smoke beneath the main hull in certain wind conditions.” Compared to other vessels, said the report, the vehicle deck was a “much smokier place.” “By comparison Incat 046 is a much smokier vessel, with a totally enclosed bow area, lower deck-heads (reflecting her carrying cars only and not trucks), and two roller doors enclosing her stern. “When loading cars, the vehicle decks are soon filled with fumes.” 

Price said the problem was not solved by the ship’s two large extractor fans. “The problem is that when the fans are operating, it is difficult to be heard because of the loud noise level, so crew members prefer to leave them off whilst they and the passengers are boarding via the stern ramp, and suffer the ‘lesser evil’ of fumes.” Last week the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) communications officer, Betty Ann Gibbons, denied any knowledge of the controversial past of Incat 046.