What went wrong when two freighters collided on the Welland Canal during what officials call a ‘routine maneuver’ at a well-trafficked meeting spot?
That is the question a team of three investigators from the Transportation Safety Board is trying to answer after the dramatic incident on Saturday.
The board said the investigators, dispatched from Quebec, have finished talking to the crew members on Alanis, a cargo ship carrying wind turbine parts up the canal, bound for Minnesota.
It was around 4 p.m. on Saturday that the cargo ship Alanis collided with Florence Spirit during a meeting near Port Robinson.
Images taken shortly after the incident and shared by the Welland Firefighters Association show the damage from the two ships colliding head-on.
On Monday morning, they were on the Florence Spirit, bound for Quebec carrying coal when it collided head-on with Alanis.
The Transportation Safety Board told Thorold News that the investigation still is at an early stage, and could not share many of their findings.
However, the Board has learned that Florence Spirit did not have a marine pilot on board when at the time of the collision.
A marine pilot's job is to support the captain in navigating Canadian waters and is mandatory for large foreign vessels, or a Canadian vessel over 10,000 tonnes.
Line Laroche, Manager of Regional Operations said that the part of the St Lawrence Seaway did not require one.
The Alanis had a pilot on board, the Board learned.
“The water was not deep at that portion, so there was not any risk of sinking. However, it could have ended with pollution,” said Line LaRoche, Manager of general operation at the Transportation Safety Board.
St Lawrence Seaway Management told Thorold News that they are cooperating with authorities to assist them with their investigation.
“It is an unfortunate incident and extremely rare in nature. We are supporting the investigation,” said Jeran Aubry-Morin, Executive Vice President of communications at St Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation that oversees the canal.
He said the Alanis sustained damages minor enough to be declared seaworthy and set to continue its voyage on Monday.
